Only one Top 25 NCAAW game yesterday, so I can spend a little more time on this one.
I finally got to see Juju Watkins play in a rare national TV game. While No. 10 USC eventually took down Arizona 81-64, it was not without a fight. The first quarter was an exercise in missed shots. Watkins went 1-6 from the floor and made all four of her free throws. By the 6:39 mark, USC was up 6-2 when Jada Williams made a layup for Arizona, to be followed by a jumper from Watkins at 5:47, bringing the score to 8-4. Then Watkins scored free throws, followed by Helena Pueyo’s jumper at 4:56.
Then, an Arctic Blast set in for a few minutes, until Skylar Jones made a pair of free throws at 2:33, followed by two more from Watkins at 2:19 bringing the score to 12-8. Esmery Martinez was fouled at 2:04 and made only one out of two. Then Kailyn Gilbert hit a jumper at 1:36 to pull within one until Isis Beh made a layup at 0:27 and Arizona pulled ahead 13-12. The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair with Arizona pulling ahead by five after Skylar Jones hit a three at 5:51.
It wasn’t until the 2:09 mark when McKenzie Forbes got hot from beyond the arc to put USC up 32-31. Watkins hit a layup and free throw at 0:34, making it 37-33 USC. At the half, I thought, if this is how the whole game will go, I’d better make some coffee. Then the third quarter started, and Breya Cunningham started the scoring for Arizona with a layup at 9:31, followed twenty seconds later with a layup from Watkins.
JuJu Watkins with a big game for USC
Then a bit of a drought until Kaitlyn Davis hit a jumper for USC at 7:25, and from there the Trojans held the lead, limiting Arizona to 11 points to their 23. Then another mini-drought for USC in which Arizona only scored five points, trimming the score to 70-54. From there to the end, it was a basket here and there, and USC coasted in for the win. The line for Watkins ended up with 32 points on 9-23 shooting, 7 boards, and 4 assists. Not bad at all, but she did seem a little less than crisp.
I suppose when you score 32 and continue to set records, you’re allowed. The USC starters played the bulk of the minutes with only five points coming off the bench. Aside from Clarice Akunwafo who played 15 minutes and scored 2, and Taylor Bigby who played 19 minutes and scored 3, the goose egg from the other four on the bench, who seemed to only come in to give someone a rest, could be a big problem down the stretch.
That’s a huge demand on the starters, which should be of concern to Lindsay Gottlieb. Arizona’s scoring was led by Esmery Martinez and Skylar Jones, each with 13 points. Martinez had 7 boards and Jones 6. Off the bench, Kailyn Gilbert scored 11. USC out-rebounded Arizona 34-29 but had 19 turnovers to Arizona’s 15. Arizona had the edge in the paint, 34-26. So, even though a win is a win, the long stretches of inactivity for both teams is something to discuss when watching the film. At least now I’ve seen Watkins play, and I hope more USC games will be televised.
Tennessee took care of Arkansas in SEC action
The only other game to watch was Tennessee versus Arkansas, in which Tennessee jumped all over the Razorbacks. After three quarters the Lady Vols led 63-37 and then took it home with an 18-18 fourth quarter. Taliah Scott led Arkansas with 23 points, and Maryam Dauda added 10. Rickea Jackson scored 21 points and had 9 boards, with Jewel Spear nabbing 13 points and 8 boards. Jillian Hollingshead had 14 points and 10 boards off the bench.
Neither team shot particularly well, with Tennessee shooting almost 42% and Arkansas almost 32%. Tennessee almost doubled the Razorbacks in rebounds, 57-29, had 19 assists to 9, but turned the ball over 16 times to 11 for Arkansas. You might call it a sloppy game, but from where I sat, it was just uninspired. Tennessee sits tied with LSU for second in the SEC. But at an overall 15-8, I wonder how much scrutiny is on Coach Harper.
That’s the problem with such storied programs; you’re not just trying to win, you’re trying to live up to history. That’s a tough road for anyone, and it isn’t terribly well-paved.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.
