(Photo via Sam Polgreen/WCSN)
TEMPE — In the last-ever Pac-12 Conference regular season game for both teams, No. 7 USC and Juju Watkins, the nation’s second-leading scorer, came into Saturday afternoon’s game hoping to improve the Trojans’ playoff seed and ruin senior night for the Sun Devils.
Against the Sun Devils( 11-18, 3-14 Pac), the Trojans had won five straight times overall, and Saturday was no exception. USC (22-5, 12-5 Pac) entered this game fresh off a stunning double overtime victory over the Wildcats, 95-93, and was eager to generate momentum going into the Pac-12 Tournament. In the end, the Trojans handled the Sun Devils by a final score of 70-55.
Watkins, a freshman guard, is one of the most fascinating and dynamic players in NCAA women’s basketball, serving as the Trojans’ No. 1 option. The first-year player from Los Angeles, California, has dominated the college basketball scene to begin her career. Coming into Saturday’s affair, she averaged 27.9 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, placing her scoring average first in the Pac-12 and second in the country, trailing only future first-overall WNBA pick Caitlin Clark.
That scoring dominance was obvious right away, as Watkins scored 11 of her 26 total points in the opening quarter. She completed the half with 15, before, once again, leading the Trojans in points, as she’s done in 24 of their previous 26 games.
Despite Watkins’ scoring, the Sun Devils’ collapse was due to a lack of defensive rebounding and size in the paint. The Sun Devils conceded 16 offensive rebounds, giving the Trojans a 21-point second-chance edge. Junior forward Rayah Marshall grabbed 11 rebounds in the first half and 15 overall, combining with Watkins for 27 rebounds.
“21 second chance points were the difference,” head coach Natasha Adair said. “That’s really it. In a game where I know all the attention is on one particular player, I thought our defense did well. I thought (senior guard) Jaddan Simmons, who had the assignment early (did well). I thought our traps (did well), and we were trying to put Juju in a wall, but it was just those second and third (chance) opportunities. 21 points to zero.”
ASU’s deficiencies in its interior defense and offense were evident throughout the game; USC scored 42 of their 70 points in the interior and blocked ten Sun Devil shot attempts, with Marshall swatting five of them. As a result, it quickly became a difficult afternoon for any Sun Devil without an outside shot.
Sophomore guards Jalyn Brown and Trayanna Crisp, who combined for 33 points on Saturday, were the only two Sun Devils to score double figures. They have developed into the team’s most consistent scorers in the latter part of the season, which has helped the Sun Devils improve from last season’s disappointing campaign.
Simmons was the only senior to take the floor Saturday night – with senior forward Maggie Besselink out due to injury and senior guard Treasure Hunt out for personal reasons – capping off a strong campaign and regular season at ASU. Simmons led the team in assists and steals, possibly earning a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team for the second year in a row, and paving the way for the youth for next season.
“Obviously, we never want senior night to be like this,” Adair said. “I looked at our seniors like every one of the younger players did and said, ‘Thank you,’ but we also said we’re not done yet, and so we will continue to fight because that is the beauty of our team.”
ASU will now look ahead to Las Vegas and the conference tournament, pending its official seed after tonight’s games. Nonetheless, the 2023-24 season was an overall improvement from last year, especially accounting for the losses of senior guard Tyi Skinner and the sporadic presence of Hunt. The Sun Devils still have a long road ahead of them under Adair, but there is plenty of optimism.
“I think we’re building,” Adair said. “You see it for us. We tripled our win total from a year ago. We’re better than we were a year ago. Our players are growing up, but what people have to remember is that this is a team that just finished with four sophomores and one freshman on the floor. … I know we all want that immediate button. We want it to happen overnight. That’s not reality, and that’s not how it works when you’re building … but I’m proud of our growth, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
