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USC Women's Basketball: Prolific Trojans Star Earns National Recognition Following 30-Piece

USC freshman phenom JuJu Watkins added to her growing collection of awards after helping the Trojans down UCLA on January 14th.

Maren Angus-Coombs

USC Women's Basketball: Prolific Trojans Star Earns National Recognition Following 30-Piece
USC Women's Basketball: Prolific Trojans Star Earns National Recognition Following 30-Piece /
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Women's basketball in Los Angeles has taken the rivalry between USC and UCLA to another level this season with both programs ranked in Top 10. A historic effort from JuJu Watkins earned her the Associated Press National Player of the Week and as the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week, as awarded by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

In front of a record crowd of 10,657 at the Galen Center, Watkins lifted the Trojans to a 73-65 win which was the second victory over a Top 10 team for the Trojans this season, a first since 1993-94. Watkins led the way with a game-high 32 points.

Watkins has led the team in scoring in every game this season and set a Pac-12 Conference record with her ninth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award. The season is only 10 weeks old.

The records don't stop there. She was a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line which is a new program best for a single game. Watkins also collected her sixth 30-point game which extends her record for total 30-point games by a true freshman. 

Behind the stellar play of Watkins, USC has skyrocketed up the polls. The Trojans were No. 21 in the preseason polls and the win over then-No. 2 UCLA has landed them at No. 6/4 this week.

USC hits the road this week and will square off against two more ranked opponents in No. 20 Utah on Friday, January 19th and No. 3 Colorado on Sunday January 21st.

USC's game at Utah will be broadcast on Pac-12 Mountain with a 7 p.m. MT tip and the USC-Colorado game on Sunday will air on Pac-12 Network at 1 p.m. MT.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite being raised in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer for the LA Sports Report Network.

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