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JuJu Watkins emotional after scoring 21 points in USC return: Highlights
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- JuJu Watkins emotional after scoring 21 points in USC return: Highlights
LAS VEGAS — After JuJu Watkins made her return as the No. 3 ranked USC Trojans women's basketball team opened with a 100-68 rout of UNLV at T-Mobile Arena on Monday, Nov. 2, she couldn't hide how happy she was to be back on the court.
"So many hours went into this," Watkins said in an emotional postgame interview as she wiped away the steady stream of tears falling down her face.
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Watkins finished with 21 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 25 minutes. It was her first game in 589 days.
"It was great to just be out there with my team again and to see the first one fall through, it really helped," Watkins said. "There were days where I could've given up, and so I kept pushing through and I'm just grateful that I'm here."
Sophomore guard Jazzy Davidson led the Trojans with 23 points, and freshman Saniyah Hall added 22 points in her college debut.
"This was a great first game for us. We have a special group. We're excited about it,"
Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after the win. "Obviously, there are ways we can still get better, which is the exciting thing."
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USC finished 18-14 overall with a 9-4 record in non-conference games and a 9-9 record in Big Ten play during the 2025-26 season. Davidson averaged 17.9 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game last season as she led the Trojans to a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where USC defeated Clemson in the first round before falling to South Carolina.
That was without Watkins, who was redshirting while recovering from a torn ACL in her right knww sustained during the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The star senior averaged 25.6 points in her first two seasons for the Trojans, and led them to the Elite Eight during her freshman season in 2024, which was the program's deepest NCAA Tournament run in more than two decades.
Now, she has a supporting cast as she works to bring USC its first national championship since 1984.
UNLV was selected No. 1 in the Mountain West preseason poll after finishing last season with a 21-11 overall record and a 15-5 conference record, which was second in the league standings.
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"We knew coming in, the talent that they have on that roster is tremendous," UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque said in her postgame news conference before cracking a joke. "And honestly, I hope they win every game and make everyone else look bad, too."
Maia Rosarion led the Lady Rebels with 12 points of the bench as UNLV shot 35% from the field with 24 turnovers.
Meadow Roland, the Mountain West preseason player of the year, finished with 7 points.
USA TODAY Sports had live coverage of the UNLV-USC game. Here are the highlights:
USC puts up 100
06:11 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
With 42 seconds left, junior guard Rian Forestier made a layup to bring UNLV to 100 points in this season-opening blowout.
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Q3: USC 83, UNLV 49
05:51 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
It looks like any shot the Trojans make is going in, because that's basically what's happening. JuJu Watkins scored 11 points in the third quarter as USC shot 70% from the field in the frame.
UNLV went 3-of-16 from the field in the third quarter and 0-of-5 from the field as it was outscored 31-10 in the period.
JuJu Watkins doing it all
05:44 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
The Trojans have blown their lead open and they're just having jun. With 1:29 left in the third quarter, JuJu Watkins made a driving layup. That was just the start of a burst, as she stole the ball from UNLV's Jayla Constant on the next possession and made another layup a few seconds later. It took just one possession for Watkins to get back in the action, assisting Kennedy Smith for a 3-pointer.
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Trojans can't miss
05:35 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Midway through the third quarter, the Trojans continue to put together an incredibly efficient game. Saniyah Hall is 3-of-3 from the field for seven points in this periods. Jazzy Davidson also still hasn't missed since the first quarter.
Halftime: USC 48, UNLV 33
05:07 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Jazzy Davidson went a perfect 5-of-5 in the second quarter for 11 points in the frame. She leads the Trojans as she's up to 13 points.
USC is shooting 61% from the field with 17 points off turnovers.
Jayla Constant and Jasmyn Lott have 9 and 8 points, respectively for the Lady Rebels.
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Cynthia Cooper attends USC-UNLV
04:55 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Cynthia Cooper, a USC and WNBA legend who won two league MVP's and led the Houston Comets to four WNBA titles is courtside for the Trojans' season opener.
Jazzy Davidson catching fire
04:50 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
After scoring two points in the first 10 minutes, Jazzy Davidson is a perfect 4-of-4 from the field in the second quarter for 9 points in six minutes.
Q1: USC 29, UNLV 15
04:47 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Saniyah Hall led the Trojans with 9 points in the period. JuJu Watkins scored 6.
Jayla Constant had a team-high 5 points for UNLV.
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Saniyah Hall buzzer-beater
04:41 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
In the final second of the first quarter, Saniyah Hall stepped back in the corner and hit a 3-pointer that electrified the crowd so much she turned and dapped up a fan who was standing up and cheering from a spot a few rows behind the courtside seats.
Trojans on a run
04:37 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Starting with a 3-pointer from Sitaya Fagan assisted by Jazzy Davidson, USC went on a 13-0 run to pull ahead 25-11. Meadow Roland made it to the free throw line for UNLV to slow the onslaught of scoring.
JuJu Watkins gets on the board
04:22 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
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JuJu Watkins made drove into the paint against contact for her first bucket and connected from the charity stripe to complete the 3-point play.
USC vs. UNLV tips off
04:17 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
We are officially underway at T-Mobile Arena. USC won the tip and Jazzy Davidson scored the first points with a quick stepback jumpshot.
UNLV starters
04:14 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
Here's a look at the starting lineup for the Lady Rebels:
USC starters
04:13 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
JuJu Watkins will be joined by Jazzy Davidson, Kennedy Smith, Saniyah Hall and Sara Okeke as she makes her first start in a year.
How to watch USC vs UNLV
01:31 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
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Venue:T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
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Time:1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET)
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TV:CBS Sports Network
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Streaming:Fubo
What time is USC vs UNLV today?
01:30 PM ET, November 2 2026, Callie Fin
The UNLV Lady Rebels (0-0) play the No. 3 USC Trojans (0-0) at T-Mobile Arena on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The game begins at 4 p.m., ET (1 p.m. PT) on CBS Sports Network/Fubo.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: JuJu Watkins emotional after scoring 21 points in USC return: Highlights
