In the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament, USC easily handled UNC Greensboro but almost suffered the biggest loss of the entire competition. While star JuJu Watkins suffered an injury scare in the third quarter, the Big 10 Player of the Year insisted after the game she has no concerns.

Despite limping into the locker room, Watkins told reporters after the game that she is “all good” and has no reason to “worry,” per LA Times' Ryan Kartje. The ankle appeared to be the biggest concern in the game, but Watkins also suffered a minor hand issue.

Watkins rolled her ankle driving to the basket midway through the third quarter. The injury did not stop her from hobbling back onto the court and sinking a corner three just seconds later.

In USC's 71-25 win, Watkins still ended with a game-high 22 points in just 28 minutes. She nearly managed to out-score the entire UNC Greensboro team on her own. Senior forward Kiki Iriafen added a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double.

While the Trojans shot just 37 percent from the field, it limited UNC Greensboro to connect on a dreadful 13 percent of its shots. The Spartans' leading scorer, Nya Smith, had just seven points off the bench.

JuJu Watkins, USC women's basketball advance to second round

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As they were expected to do, the USC women's basketball team advances to the second round with a win over UNC Greensboro. The Trojans now await the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 battle between California and Mississippi State. Either way, they will remain home and play another game at the Galen Center.

USC's win over UNC Greensboro allowed it to bounce back from a Big 10 Championship Game loss to UCLA. The loss snapped a nine-game win streak, reaching back to Feb. 4. However, it did not prevent the Trojans from entering the NCAA Tournament with a No. 1 seed and a favorite to win a national title.

After advancing to the Elite Eight in 2024, USC is seeking its first national championship since 1984. While the Trojans have made the NCAA Tournament in three straight years, they have done so just six times since 2000. Watkins' arrival, along with Lindsay Gottlieb two years before her, unequivocally elevated the program's level.

The Trojans will return to the Galen Center on March 24, giving Watkins two days to recover from any pain in her ankle. She has missed only one game all season long.