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USC shakes off JuJu Watkins’ absence and beats Kansas State 67-61 in March Madness – WTOP News

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11 months ago

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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“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.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

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8 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography


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.

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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

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins

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20 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins


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

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  • 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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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins

Published

2 days ago

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March 4, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Tuesday 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

5A East Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

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  • KC Washington 68, Highland Park 38
  • Shawnee Heights 49, De Soto 37 (will play Leavenworth Friday)

5A West Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Topeka West 55, Hutchinson 32 (will play Bishop Carroll Friday)
  • Emporia 61, Great Bend 41 (will play Maize South Friday)
  • Seaman 73, Valley Center 51 (will play Hays Friday)

3A West Franklin Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Burlington 60, Osage City 35 (will play Baxter Springs Friday)

3A Sabetha Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hiawatha 73, Oskaloosa 48 (will play Heritage Christian Friday)
  • Silver Lake 58, Sabetha 39 (will play Perry-Lecompton Friday 7:30 p.m.)

GIRLS

6A West Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Washburn Rural 60, Wichita South 32 (will play Derby)
  • Topeka High 69, Maize 45 (will play Liberal)
  • Manhattan 67, Free State 21 (will play Wichita East)

4A East Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 71, Parsons 23 (will play Tonganoxie)
  • Wamego 54, Labette County 33 (will play Bishop Miege)
  • Hayden 2, Athison 0 (will play Baldwin)

2A Eskridge/Mission Valley Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rossville 71, KC Christian 49 (will play Maur Hill-Mount Academy)
  • Lyndon 61, Jeff. Co. North 31 (will play Valley Heights)
  • Valley Heights 65, Doniphan West 41 (will play Lyndon)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



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