The face of college basketball resides in Southern California and it’s No. 2 USC Trojans superstar Juju Watkins who just capped off a remarkable sophomore season. 

Now, following a loss to the UCLA Bruins in the Big Ten Championship, USC is setting their sights to the NCAA Tournament, which will mark Watkins second trip to the big dance and this years Trojans team has formed into one of the best in program history tallying an impressive 28-3 record and a 17-1 record in the Big Ten. 

Prior to the tournament beginning next week, USC announced some big news regarding Watkins and head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Both were named semifinalists for Coach of the Year and Player of the Year by the Naismith Trophy Awards. 

Juju Watkins credits her head coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, as a major reason for her success during her first two seasons at USC.

“She pushes me to be great,” Watkins said of Gottlieb. “She understands my vision and the standard that I hold myself to, so we really connect with each other, and I’m grateful to have her.”

This season, Watkins has surpassed Caitlin Clark for the second-most points in Division I women’s basketball history for a player through their first two seasons. She’s averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks, while shooting 42.6% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc, and 82.0% from the free-throw line.