Sports

JuJu Watkins' season-ending injury casts shadow over USC advancing to Sweet 16

Published

12 months ago

March 25, 2025

JuJu Watkins' season-ending injury casts shadow over USC advancing to Sweet 16

The Galen Center crowd sat in hushed disbelief, every cardinal-and-gold soul struggling to process a scene that seemed ripped straight from their worst nightmares: USC’s superstar laying crumpled on the court, clutching her right knee, her cries rising to the rafters where she hoped a banner would soon hang.

JuJu Watkins, for the better part of two seasons, seemed nothing short of invincible. The sophomore surpassed every sensible expectation with stunning grace, never wavering even as she bore the weight of an entire program. She already captivated the college basketball world, and in the process, dragged the Trojans back from the depths of obscurity to the doorstep of tournament glory, just a few short steps away from a Final Four.

That pursuit felt well within their reach through 30 wins this season and just over five minutes of Monday’s first quarter, before Watkins barreled toward the basket in transition and her right knee buckled inexplicably beneath her. Right away, she fell to the court, writhing in pain. Right away, hope took a sharp turn into dread.

The devastating confirmation from USC wouldn’t come until later, hours after the team stamped its ticket to the Sweet 16 in a bittersweet 96-59 win over Mississippi State: Watkins sustained a season-ending knee injury, and the Trojans were dealt a heart-wrenching blow to their once-towering championship hopes.

Though, as Watkins lay screaming on the hardwood, clutching her knee, the grim reality seemed plenty clear in the moment. Her teammates surrounded her, doing their best to block her anguish from the view of nearby photographers, before trainers arrived to help her.

But there was little solace anyone could offer, then or in the game’s aftermath.

Watkins was unable to stand on her own, so USC’s trainers carried her to the locker room. She was taken immediately to Keck Medical Center, where an MRI confirmed the worst-case scenario.

USC star JuJu Watkins writhes in pain as he teammates stand above her during the first quarter Monday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Still, there was a game to play and a Sweet 16 bid to secure. As Watkins was carried up the tunnel, coach Lindsay Gottlieb gathered her team to regroup.

But Rayah Marshall, the Trojans’ senior leader, could see that their coach, too, was shaken up. She tried to console her.

“I’d be lying,” Gottlieb said later, “if I said I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu lying on the floor, crying.”

She steeled herself as best she could in the huddle, knowing how critical the coming hours would be without Watkins.

“I just tried to look people in the eye and say we can do this,” Gottlieb said. “We’ve got this. We need everybody. Stay focused and locked in on the task at hand.”

That refrain will surely become a rallying cry in the coming days, as USC does its best to move forward without Watkins, on whom the Trojans’ entire operation has hinged. But for one night, at least, that cry appeared to resonate.

When the game continued, boos rained down from every corner of the arena whenever Mississippi State touched the ball. An already physical game grew increasingly chippy. With every escalation, the crowd roared on in a raucous crescendo.

“They fed into that,” point guard Talia von Oelhoffen said of the crowd, “and we fed into that. It gave us energy.”

None proved as uplifting as Kiki Iriafen, the bubbly senior forward who transferred to USC knowing she would take on a supporting role behind Watkins. But in her absence, Iriafen looked every bit like a star, scoring a season-high 36 points on 16-for-22 shooting.

She wasn’t the only one who stepped up to fill the void. Marshall added four blocks, as well as an unexpected buzzer-beating three-pointer that left her raising her arms in elation. Kennedy Smith had 10 points and five steals, and backup guards Avery Howell and Kayleigh Heckel combined for 31 points.

USC guard Kennedy Smith, left, and forward Kiki Iriafen celebrate during the second half of the Trojans' win.

“Respectfully, nobody cares on this big stage that we lost [Watkins],” Iriafen said. “For us, it’s just that we want to make sure we got the job done [and] our season to be extended.”

That part was never really in doubt, as USC will face No. 5 seed Kansas State on Saturday in Spokane, Wash. But as the Trojans continued to increase their lead, even without Watkins, a night that might have otherwise felt like a funeral instead became something different entirely.

“I always thought, throughout the year, that if we had something to work on, which would be when things didn’t go right right away, sometimes we [got] stressed out,” Gottlieb said. “But how about this? Something didn’t go right for us. You never want anyone to go down, especially someone like JuJu, that we all lean on in so many ways.

“But this team rallied. They rallied for her. They rallied for each other.”

Sports

NFL free agency 2026: Dolphins will release Tua Tagovailoa; ‘legal tampering’ set to start

Published

2 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

NFL free agency 2026: Dolphins will release Tua Tagovailoa; ‘legal tampering’ set to start

NFL free agency is here!

Well, kind of.

The league’s so-called legal tampering period begins Monday at 9 a.m. PT, when teams are allowed to start negotiating with the agents for players who are about to become unrestricted free agents. No contracts can actually be signed, however, until the the start of the new NFL league year, which is Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT.

So, basically, fans will start finding out what moves their teams make and where various players will land starting Monday morning.

Hours before the legal tampering period started, the Miami Dolphins announced they will release longtime quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The 2023 All Star will count $99 million against the Dolphins’ salary cap, the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history. The money can be split over the next two seasons if Tagovailoa is designated a post-June 1 release.

In six years with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa went 44-32 as a starter, completing 68% of his passes for 18,166 yards with 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023.

“Wearing this jersey and representing this city has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” Tagovailoa wrote Monday on Instagram, adding: “I also carry deep regret that I couldn’t get the job done and bring a championship home to this city. Miami deserves that, and I’ll always wish I could have delivered it for you.”

Who are some of the other big names in the free agency market? As far as quarterbacks are concerned, Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis could be a hot commodity. Daniel Jones is a free agent after a strong season with Indianapolis, although the Colts placed the transition tag on him and can match any offer.

Veteran quarterback Kyler Murray was informed by the Arizona Cardinals last week that they will be letting him go at the start of the new league year. The Atlanta Falcons have made a similar announcement regarding Kirk Cousins. Other available veteran quarterbacks include Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson and Marcus Mariota.

Teams in need of a running back might be interested in the services of Kenneth Walker III, who will be a free agent just weeks after he was named Super Bowl LX MVP as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars could also find a new home.

This also seems to be a big year for free agent edge rushers (including Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson and Boye Mafe) and wide receivers (including Alec Pierce, Mike Evans, Romeo Doubs, Rashid Shaheed and Jauan Jennings).

Check back here for updates as teams begin making moves.

Sports

ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with $22M roster for disappointing season

Published

13 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

ESPN star rips iconic college basketball team with M roster for disappointing season

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The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team may still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than their 19-12 record this season considering their whopping $22 million roster.

The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they played Florida during Saturday’s prime SEC matchup. After the Gators hit some free throws to extend their first-half lead to 26-19, Vitale started to lay into the Wildcats.

Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats in a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)

“I’m going to say this right here, I’ve done several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million this team [which has been reported] in terms of the NIL for their players,” he said, per Awful Announcing. “I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.”

The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued about Kentucky near the end of their 12th loss of the season.

“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you got a moral victory,” Vitale said, referencing a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some of the people, ‘We played them close. We played them tough.’

“The bottom line is you’re Kentucky. You’re Kentucky. And you’ve got to leave here with a win, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”

Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on Jan. 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The Wildcats were once the top program in the country under former Coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a long March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first round upset to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats have been coached by Mark Pope since, and they made the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee.

Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action vs Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Nov. 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated )

But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play, and now face the No. 9 seed in the upcoming tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know good seeding in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this upcoming weekend.

The Wildcats will start their SEC Tournament play on Wednesday against No. 16 LSU.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

Published

14 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Chargers agree to deal with former Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold

The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to a multiyear deal with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, the team announced.

Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.

Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the past four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.

Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.

Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.

The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.

With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.