JuJu Watkins scored 28 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out five assists for top-seeded USC as they beat Kansas 73-55 on Monday night to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
McKenzie Forbes made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 20 points for the Trojans (28-5), who will play fifth-seeded Baylor (26-7) in the Portland Region 3 in Oregon on Saturday.
The last time USC reached this far was in 1994, when they made it to the Elite Eight, 10 years after winning back-to-back national championships.
Freshman S’Mya Nichols led the Jayhawks (20-13) with 22 points. Taiyanna Jackson had 10 points and 18 rebounds. Kansas has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the tournament, with a 0-6 record.
After Kansas narrowed the gap in the third quarter, the Trojans went on a 17-2 run that stretched from the end of the third to the beginning of the fourth. Watkins scored nine points and Kayla Padilla nailed a 3-pointer, increasing USC’s lead to 64-48.
USC’s Clarice Akunwafo, who is as tall as Jackson at 6-foot-6, disrupted the Kansas center by blocking shots and even contributed some scoring in the end.
The Jayhawks outscored USC 22-20 in the third quarter, scoring nine consecutive points to close the gap to 47-46. Watkins ended the quarter with a 3-pointer and two free throws before getting her third foul. Forbes stole the ball and Akunwafo was fouled, making 1 of 2 free throws to keep USC in front at 53-46.
Kansas managed to overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime against Michigan in the first round, but were completely dominated by the Trojans in the fourth quarter.
Watkins scored the Trojans’ first seven points while the crowd chanted “USC! USC!” They scored 12 consecutive points at the end of the first and beginning of the second quarter, with Watkins’ 3-pointer extending USC’s lead to 24-9.
The Trojans forced 12 turnovers from Kansas in the first half, which they turned into 16 points, ending the half with USC ahead 33-24. The Jayhawks made only one 3-pointer in the half and shot 3 of 14 from the floor at the start of the game.
Among the USC supporters were Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, former NBA player John Wall, former USC quarterback Matt Leinert, and football coach Lincoln Riley.