USC star guard JuJu Watkins can be an unstoppable force, especially if she is paired with teammate forward Kiki Iriafen. At least, this is what former two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike thinks.
In the College Game Day segment of ESPN, analyst and former two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike shared her opinions on JuJu Watkins and KiKi Iriafen in the USC, which she described as “the last team” she’ll ever want to face.
“Respectfully, USC is the last team that I want to see in the tournament (NCAA), because Juju Watkins can go turbo mode’, ” Ogwumike said. “She is too big, too strong. On top of it, they are getting great production from Kiki Iriafen. They have the best inside-outside duo in D-I.”
“They have the best inside-outside duo in D-I.”@chiney says USC is the “last team” she would want to play in the NCAA tournament 👀 pic.twitter.com/NxG8Bo4Wsm
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 2, 2025
The USC Trojans’ Big Ten regular-season title win in the 2024-25 season is their first regular-season title since 1994, with both JuJu Watkins and Kiki Iriafen contributing significantly to the success.
JuJu Watkins Dominates UCLA in Big Ten Title Win
The USC Trojans clinched the Big Ten regular-season title with an impressive 80-67 victory over the UCLA Bruins. The game started with a bang as JuJu Watkins opened the scoring with a three-pointer, sparking a 9-0 run for USC.
Watkins was on fire from the beginning, scoring 23 points in the first half alone. Her scoring spree helped the Trojans build a 46-32 lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, UCLA made a push to close the gap, cutting the deficit to just four points. However, Watkins and the Trojans responded with a 9-0 run to extend their lead back to 13 points.
Watkins continued to dominate, finishing the game with 30 points, five assists, three rebounds, and three blocks.
As the game progressed into the final quarter, USC’s offense remained relentless. The Trojans stretched their lead to as much as 20 points, thanks to key contributions from Watkins and her teammates. Avery Howell’s consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter further solidified USC’s advantage. The Trojans’ defense also forced 16 UCLA turnovers that led to 25 points.
So far this season, Kiki Iriafen is averaging 18.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Iriafen’s field goal percentage stands at 50.3%.
JuJu Watkins has been having an outstanding season with the USC Trojans, averaging 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Her shooting efficiency has been impressive, with a field goal percentage of 45.8%.
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