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FILE – Southern California guard JuJu Watkins (12) shoots a free throw during the first half against Mississippi State in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Monday, March 24, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Jessie Alcheh, File)<\/p>\n
ROSEMONT, Ill. \u2014 Southern California star JuJu Watkins propelled the Trojans to a Big Ten regular-season title and a second consecutive Elite Eight appearance last season.<\/p>\n
If the Trojans want to match that success this year, they\u2019ll need to do it without her.<\/p>\n
The absence of Watkins, who\u2019s sidelined for the season while recovering from an ACL injury she suffered in the NCAA Tournament, has given way to UCLA becoming the lone conference powerhouse, with Maryland not far behind.<\/p>\n
The Bruins advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history after defeating the Trojans in the Big Ten tournament title game last season. They are the clear-cut favorite with senior center Lauren Betts, the Big Ten preseason player of the year.<\/p>\n
A season without JuJu<\/strong><\/p>\n The loss of Watkins is being felt throughout the conference, which sent a record 12 programs to last season\u2019s NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m bummed for her, for the rivalry, for the conference. I\u2019m bummed for our game,\u201d UCLA coach Cori Close said. \u201cShe makes me a better coach because of the level of excellence she brings to the court night in and night out.\u201d<\/p>\n Close again has high expectations for her team, which features stars Betts and Kiki Rice, among a bevy of other top-level talent.<\/p>\n Watkins\u2019 presence on the court will be missed, Rice said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, injuries suck and we feel for her,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that she won\u2019t be able to play this season because she\u2019s such a pivotal player for women\u2019s college basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n Tough conference, easy tournament?<\/strong><\/p>\n Close said she expects a rugged conference schedule and a variety of styles in the 18-team league to prepare the team for another deep tournament run.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what kind of draw you get, you will know how to face that kind of style because of the depth and breadth of the Big Ten,\u201d Close said.<\/p>\n Maryland has star power, too<\/strong><\/p>\n Maryland is among the teams expected to contend with UCLA for the conference title after a Sweet 16 run and with a strong core of returning players, including Kaylene Smikle, Saylor Poffenbarger and Bri McDaniel, transfer Yarden Garzon and a talented freshmen class.<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, it\u2019s about wanting to go out and play to the best of our ability every single game against the so many elite level teams in our conference,\u201d coach Brenda Frese said.<\/p>\n Southern Cal gets Jazzy<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t count out the Trojans, warned coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who said Watkins remains a crucial part of the team even if she\u2019s unable to play.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one is going to be JuJu. No one is trying to be JuJu,\u201d Gottlieb said. \u201cBut I think we can put a team on the floor that is incredibly versatile and plays an exciting brand of basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n Gottlieb has lofty goals of her own in leading the still-talented Trojans squad.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I took this job, the goal was to become the premiere program in women\u2019s college basketball,\u201d she said. \u201cOur goals don\u2019t change. USC women\u2019s basketball isn\u2019t going anywhere. We have a really different team with a lot of new faces but we\u2019ll have the ability to compete at a very high level.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the new faces is freshman Jazzy Davidson, an 18-year-old from Clackamas, Oregon, regarded as the nation\u2019s top high school player.<\/p>\n \u201cFor those who don\u2019t know her, as soon as the ball gets tipped for the 2025-26 season, everyone will know her,\u201d Gottlieb said. \u201cShe\u2019s a really unique talent. She can score. She can facilitate. She plays both ends of the floor. Jazzy will make an incredible impact not only on us but on the national scene.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n SEATTLE \u2014 With his team holding a 2-0 lead over Toronto in the American League Championship Series after winning …<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n MILWAUKEE \u2014 Relying on an old-school pitching strategy has the defending World Series champion Los Angeles …<\/p>\n <\/p>\n