Kansas
USC shakes off JuJu Watkins’ absence and beats Kansas State 67-61 in March Madness – WTOP News
SPOKANE, Ore. (AP) — Freshman Kennedy Smith stepped into the void left by injured star JuJu Watkins, scoring 19 points…
SPOKANE, Ore. (AP) — Freshman Kennedy Smith stepped into the void left by injured star JuJu Watkins, scoring 19 points to help Southern California hold off Kansas State 67-61 in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
The top-seeded Trojans (31-3) were considered title contenders before Watkins tore her right ACL during a second-round victory over Mississippi State. Now they’ll be underdogs in an Elite Eight rematch on Monday with Paige Bueckers and second-seeded UConn. The Huskies knocked the Trojans out of last year’s March Madness in Watkins’ first season.
Avery Howell, another freshman, scored 18 points for USC, which went on a 12-0 run during the third quarter to take a 46-39 lead, matching its biggest advantage of the day.
Kansas State (28-8) kept pushing, though, and tied it at 51-all early in the fourth on a layup by Ayoka Lee. Rayah Marshall responded with two straight buckets for USC.
A layup by Serena Sundell got the Wildcats within 60-59. Smith responded with a pair of free throws, and USC was solid enough at the foul line to close it out.
“We still have the common goal of obviously winning national championships and with JuJu going down there was a bit of adversity to face,” Smith said. “We talked to her before the game, she was rooting us on. So just keeping her in our heart and minds and playing for her as well as for each other.”
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said she was proud of her team’s response to adversity.
“We felt going into this game that this was a game we have to attack and prepare for with the intent to win,” Gottlieb said. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy. But I thought when when it got hard out there and Kansas State is a really good team and poses a lot of problems, I thought you (saw) our team really stick together and compete.”
Sundell scored 22 points and Lee had 12 for the fifth-seeded Wildcats (28-8), who fell short of the program’s second Elite Eight appearance and first since 1982. They beat Kentucky 80-79 in overtime to reach their first Sweet 16 since 2002.
“I told the locker room, ‘At some point your tears will be hopefully happy tears. You start to remember the things that you did and the time you spent with your coaches, the wins, the bus trips, the plane trips,’” Wildcats coach Jeff Mittie said.
Smith had 11 points in the opening quarter as the Trojans built 19-9 lead.
The Wildcats pulled ahead 19-16 after Sundell’s layup and free throw. USC answered with a pair of 3-pointers from Howell and Malia Samuels.
Sundell hit a jumper and two free throws down the stretch to help Kansas State to a 30-28 advantage at the half.
Howell also helped pick up the slack for Watkins’ absence on defense.
“I think it’s just finding a balance of the role that she has played for this entire program since she’s been here, but it’s like we have her in our thoughts and we’re supporting her from here, and we’re taking her competitive nature on the court, every single time we step there,” Howell said.
She added: “We know that she’s back home supporting us, having a watch party, doing everything she can to give us that good juju, you could say.”
Honoring JuJu
USC arrived at Spokane Arena wearing Nike T-shirts emblazoned with Watkins’ face. Players also passed around a small Watkins doll, complete with her trademark “JuJu Bun” hairstyle, on the sidelines during the game.
After the win, they celebrated with the injured star on a video call.
“My daughter was blowing kisses to her and said, ‘JuJu’s not hurt?’ I said no, she’s hurt but she’s happy today and with us. So, just trying to keep her her spirit with us,” Gottlieb said. “She’s just such an incredible young person. And I think the way the team has responded says a lot about them, but also a lot about her and the true chemistry they have with each other.”
Watkins was hoping to lead USC to its first national title since it won back to back in 2002 and ’03. Inspired by their star, the Trojans still have a chance to win it all.
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KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She’s reported on the Chiefs’ decision to move its team facility to Olathe since the team made the announcement in December. That coverage has included amplifying the voices of residents who have different perspectives on the project, which has ranged from excitement to scrutiny. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday the team is drawing inspiration from recent team headquarters projects with the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys as they develop plans for their own new headquarters in Olathe.
In December, the club reached an agreement with Kansas officials to move across the state line. The agreement called for a $3 billion, domed stadium in western Kansas City, Kansas, and a new team headquarters and practice facility near Kansas Highway 10 and Ridgeview Road in Olathe.
Donovan’s remarks on Friday came during the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.
Elyse Schoenig/KSHB
The chamber’s theme for 2026, “Olathe Rising,” appears well-timed as the Chiefs work to build out their team headquarters vision.
Donovan said the team and its partners have been busy behind the scenes and hope to have updates on the project in the near future.
He said the club will look to work with the Olathe School District and the Olathe City Council in their plans.
The club is exploring a unique component to the facility by incorporating flag football into the project.
Flag football has been a priority of the club and the National Football League. The sport will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
In April, the Kansas State High School Athletics Association is set to vote on whether to sanction girls’ flag football as a high school varsity sport.
Funding for the club’s Olathe project will come in part from the sale of bonds paid for by certain sales tax revenues.
In February, the Olathe City Council approved participation in a STAR bonds district to build the team’s new headquarters and training facility at College Boulevard and Ridgeview Road.
Elsewhere on Friday, Kansas legislators introduced the Kansas Sports Authority Act. The act would create a nine-member board to oversee all aspects of sports facility construction.
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WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.
According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.
Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.
Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.
Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday
Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.
Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.
Copyright 2026 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Wednesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.
Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.
WIBW Scoreboard
BOYS
6A Boys West Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Topeka High 57, Washburn Rural 50 (will play Maize Saturday)
- Junction City 70, Dodge City 56 (will play Derby Saturday)
- Manhattan 58, Wichita-Northwest 56 (will play Wichita-East Saturday)
4A Boys East Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Rock Creek 62, Louisberg 57 (will play Bishop Miege Saturday)
- Atchison 74, Wamego 43
- Hayden 72, Independence 56 (will play Atchison Saturday)
- Eudora 76, Santa Fe Trail 68
GIRLS
5A West Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Hays 80, Topeka West 18
- Eisenhower 55, Seaman 41
- Kapaun Mt. Carmel 71, Emporia 41
5A East Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Shawnee Heights 89, Sumner 15 (will play Pittsburg Saturday)
- Basehor-Linwood 74, Highland Park 28 (will play Piper Saturday)
3A Pomona-West Franklin Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Osage City 75, Columbus 31 (will play Frontenac Saturday)
3A Sabetha Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results
- Silver Lake 48, Nemaha Central 26 (will play Riley County Saturday)
- Riley County 51, Jeff West 40 (will play Silver Lake)
Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.
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