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00:00It's Galen Center's Grand Finale, with the final spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
00:11The question is, can you stop Juju Watkins?
00:20Different intensity level for USC on both ends of the floor.
00:23The top of the key, down the left side of the lane, goes up on Eric, and ripped by Kiki, ahead to Watkins for USC, down the right side of the lane, and she grabs her knee as she goes down.
00:40Watkins is holding the underside of her knee in a lot of pain.
00:46Stunned silence inside Galen Center.
00:53I will tell you, I've covered a lot of knee injuries in my time.
00:57The angle of the replay does not look good.
00:59It would be a surprise if this isn't a significant knee injury.
01:11I think it was definitely, like, denial.
01:14Like, there's absolutely no way this is happening to me right now.
01:17Went through the whole process, got an MRI, drove back to Galen, got the news, and then, yeah.
01:32Told the team, and that was it, yeah.
01:37Juju Watkins, unfortunately, a torn ACL ended her season.
01:48We wish her a healthy and speedy recovery.
01:50Do you think this is the last time we'll see Juju Watkins on a college basketball court?
01:55No.
01:56We expect our stars to be invincible.
01:59Nothing's supposed to happen to this.
02:00Watching Juju Watkins in pain like that, it was gut-wrenching.
02:04Definitely heartbroken for her.
02:05There we go.
02:07Now we got some range.
02:08So let's go for ten.
02:10Three.
02:12Juju's love by all of us.
02:14She's a phenomenal player.
02:15I think she is sensational.
02:18I'm just wishing her.
02:18My prayers are for her.
02:20Hopefully that she'll make a full recovery.
02:23I'm gonna lift right here.
02:25Is that helpful?
02:31It's not really moving fast, in my opinion.
02:33It's just week three.
02:36I've been underground.
02:38Like, I'm not integrating Black into society until I figure this out.
02:43Last measurement of the day.
02:46Go ahead.
02:47Here we go.
02:56Is that your max?
02:59It's just the thought of, like, damn, this isn't really what I'm doing right now.
03:03But I'm just trying to, yeah, get back to my old self at this point.
03:10That's the goal.
03:11What's up with this Juju effect?
03:25She has a chance to be the greatest woman's player ever.
03:28This sister is something special.
03:30Juju has the impact.
03:31Juju Watkins, as good as advertised.
03:37Is Juju overpaid?
03:40Yeah, Juju!
03:42Every 20 to 25 years, you come across an athlete that's just different than everyone.
03:47Juju is that athlete.
03:48The mural, that had to be, like, one of the top moments for me.
03:58The fact that I'm driving past that, like, a lot is crazy.
04:02I saw it, like, every day.
04:08Now I know.
04:10She is one of the premier names globally.
04:14She's changing the landscape for female athletes.
04:16We all go, we all go, we all go, we all go, we all go, we all go, oh, oh, oh.
04:22The Super Bowl commercial was insane.
04:25A partnership with Nike, Gatorade.
04:29You need a Juju?
04:29Juju Watkins.
04:31State Farm.
04:32She's bringing fans from all over the world to see her play and play at a very high level.
04:37FZM4, that's her game.
04:40This is just the start of who she is and what she means to women's basketball.
04:46Paris, hello.
04:58LA, we miss you, but it's pretty cool.
05:00Good morning, people.
05:01We are in Paris, and it is going to be a day.
05:04Bye, Dom.
05:04To kick off the season in Paris is really cool for the sport.
05:14Hey, guys.
05:15We just got done with our beautiful boat dinner.
05:18Right now, we are boating back to the Eiffel Tower.
05:22We're literally going by the Eiffel Tower right now.
05:25It's all lit up, glowing.
05:26It's super pretty.
05:30When it's basketball, it's becoming more of like a global thing.
05:33So to see I have supporters in France is something that I never really fathom.
05:42Today, we just have like a youth clinic with a bunch of little girls from France.
05:48No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
06:18That was so good.
06:24Guys, my French, my French has just increased by 30.
06:29I had so much fun.
06:29Everybody, you know, it was kind of hard to, you know, communicate, but it was fun.
06:34I think they had a good time.
06:36You know, me, I speak French, so it was a little easier for me.
06:38Coming into the season, the highest ranked team in this conference is USC.
06:51Thanks to who?
06:52Juju Watkins.
06:53This is a team coming into the Big Ten who I'm expecting to make a really deep run, be a Final Four team.
06:59They've added some really nice pieces.
07:05Good.
07:06Look at this beautiful arena, right?
07:08Play basketball all over the world.
07:09This is where Paris Basket plays.
07:11We get to open up the college season here, but make it feel like home today.
07:18We knew obviously having Juju returning was going to put us in a different echelon of ability and also expectation.
07:25But you got to go make sure you have the players and the pieces that can help you achieve what you want to achieve.
07:31So we added Kiki Aria-Fenn to the group.
07:34She was coming from Stanford, so I knew that, you know, she was kind of under some pressure just in terms of, like, leaving her old team.
07:43It was just a matter of getting to know one another.
07:46Go one more time.
07:47One more time.
07:48It's one thing to have a lot of talent on paper.
07:50It's another thing to be a really, really high-functioning basketball team, and that's my challenge in trying to figure that out.
07:55There you go.
07:55Break.
07:58Ole Miss, a very, you know, mature team.
08:01They played with each other for a couple years, so it's definitely, like, going to be a tough matchup.
08:07The work is in, y'all.
08:08The work is in.
08:11So let's enjoy.
08:12Let's mentally go through with our minds later tonight.
08:14Get off our feet and get ready for game day tomorrow.
08:17One, two, three.
08:17F.C.
08:18Four, five, six.
08:19F.C.
08:20F.C.
08:20F.C.
08:21F.C.
08:21F.C.
08:21F.C.
08:22F.C.
08:25We welcome you inside Adidas Arena in Paris, France, for a terrific matchup to tip off our college basketball season.
08:39Number three, USC, taking on number 20, Ole Miss.
08:43So much excitement for the start here today and for this season.
08:48Ole Miss is a formidable opponent.
08:50We knew going in they were going to pressure us, they're tough, they're intense, way more
08:54veteran than us.
08:58Ole Miss wreaking defense is having.
09:02Watkins gives it up.
09:04Echo gets tripped.
09:05No call.
09:06It really boils down to experience, and I think when you have a new team and don't really
09:10have that is just, like, we're just trying to kind of find our feet and, like, everybody's
09:14trying to figure out their roles.
09:18Here we have Ben plays it in.
09:20The Stanford transfer looking right at home for Juju Watkins.
09:24Run with your kids!
09:31That first half in particular, I thought we were very tough.
09:33We got some transition buckets.
09:35Then the second half, the pressure really heated up.
09:37Dean, step back to U-Pin.
09:42And Ole Miss lead is two.
09:47Watkins stood up, twists away, gives it up.
09:50Von Olaffen on the drive.
09:53Von Olaffen, unable to bank it in, but gets the whistle.
09:58Go slow.
10:01Go slow.
10:02Go slow.
10:03Go slow.
10:04One stop.
10:05And then we have to rebound.
10:09We're getting that started on coffee.
10:11We got to go in here.
10:12We showed a lot of toughness and a lot of grit to not fold, to fight back.
10:19I wasn't nervous.
10:20I wasn't worried.
10:21I was like, okay, let's see what we're made of.
10:23And you will see, we'll shoot three throws here.
10:29He can hear you then.
10:31The transfer from Stanford.
10:34As even you will see the lead back.
10:36Hey, listen.
10:38We just got to get a stop.
10:40We just got to get a stop.
10:41Regular principles.
10:43Because we don't want them to get a check.
10:44Out.
10:45Please.
10:45Deans is out.
10:46Hey.
10:47No fouls.
10:48Clean defense.
10:50No end ones.
10:50Clean defense.
10:52No threes.
10:52No fouls.
10:53But we got to get a stop still.
10:57Inbound.
11:00Deans is nine.
11:01Here's Matty Scott.
11:02Matty Scott.
11:03Three seconds left.
11:05John Williams leading as it's stripped away.
11:07That will do it.
11:09You will see.
11:11It's a win.
11:12In Paris.
11:15I thought it was a really big win in a big moment.
11:18And a really good gut check for us in the first game against a tough team.
11:22But also provided just some really good intel of, hey, here's where we are.
11:26And here's where we're capable of going.
11:28And I was really excited about that.
11:30The hell of a lot better going home from Paris with a win than anything else.
11:34We should be uber grateful for the experience, right?
11:37And be really excited to say, how does this make us better for anything that we might fix?
11:44Not a great display of, you know, what we're capable of on both sides of the ball, defense and offense.
11:50But, you know, a win is a win.
11:53Now we can go back home and watch all that film and learn.
11:56I think this is just the beginning of something great.
12:00Here's what is mandated.
12:14Two sets.
12:16Two sets.
12:16If you want to go above and beyond two sets, feel free to do so.
12:20But, our two sets for our floor press need to be work sets, not warm-up sets.
12:25We got time.
12:26We'll go two rounds, ten of everything.
12:29Questions, comments, concerns?
12:30Yeah, man.
12:31All right.
12:32I'm just ATA here.
12:33Somebody got a hoot in.
12:34That's TV.
12:35Yo, let's go.
12:35All right, five, three, one, two, three.
12:37Hey!
12:38Peace out, man.
12:39Quick.
12:40Coming to camp.
12:41That's the fourth one.
12:42Hands, leave it around.
12:43I don't mind.
12:44Wish up.
12:45I was hyped for weeks before Notre Dame.
12:48The expectation was that it was going to be kind of a heavyweight battle between two great teams.
12:53For us, it's about being mentally sound and mentally tough to know that when the lights are the brightest,
13:01that we're prepared to be the best that we can be.
13:04Who you got your money on?
13:06Coming to kill.
13:07But you got to put down a mill just to make a bill.
13:09Because I'm never the end of the game.
13:1015-7, baby.
13:10Hey!
13:11Let's go!
13:13You know, when it comes down to the wire, it's like, who's ready?
13:16Who's the most prepared?
13:19She's there.
13:20Nope.
13:21Okay.
13:21Keep ducking in.
13:22Yep.
13:23Just tell her.
13:24Give it to her.
13:24Give it to her.
13:25She's there.
13:25She's there.
13:26She's there.
13:26Give it to her.
13:26Go again.
13:27Go again.
13:29With Notre Dame, I mean, they're just such a gritty team.
13:32I'm just excited to play another top team.
13:36I mean, this is our first, like, top-ten matchup.
13:42Go ahead, guys.
13:44One more time.
13:46Go ahead.
13:47Go a little forward, guys.
13:48Walk a little forward.
13:48I don't know that it was planned to just do the juju buns for the game days.
14:14I think it organically just happened.
14:17It kind of evolved into, like, our bonding moments.
14:20Does it feel stable?
14:26The identity just kind of attached itself to her.
14:30I just came out here to support him.
14:32Get the bun, because the bun was here.
14:35We put him in ponytails, but a lot of people say that they look like juju's bun.
14:39You got little girls wearing a bun to be like juju.
14:44It's like, I want to be like Mike.
14:47We all grew up wanting to be like Mike.
14:49She's having that type of effect on the game.
14:52You have to be so special to have that type of effect.
14:56To see these young girls out here, you know, inspired by her, just melts my heart.
15:02I had, like, just random people coming up to me like, oh, your mom didn't do your hair yet.
15:10So, yeah, it's a little embarrassing, but I guess it's cute.
15:15I saw Simone Biles' mom does her hair, too, so that made me feel a little better about it.
15:21Love you.
15:22Have a good game.
15:23Notre Dame's an elite, great team.
15:35Without question, I thought a Final Four contender.
15:39Hidalgo, another steal, and coast to coast.
15:43Hannah Hidalgo is one of the frontrunners for Player of the Year,
15:46and her now with a healthier Olivia Miles has been a dangerous backcourt.
15:55But the parity in women's basketball over time has gotten more prominent.
16:01There is no clear frontrunner for number one team.
16:07I think that we're ready, and we know it's a big challenge,
16:10but I don't think you know what to expect until you're in it.
16:16We welcome you in to Big Ten Basketball,
16:24through what should be a competitive and exciting early season top ten matchup.
16:30This is the place to be on a Saturday afternoon.
16:33Snoop Dogg, Michael B. Jordan, Candice Parker, and also Cheryl Miller.
16:39I believe it.
16:41Created the foundation for what we're seeing right here, a sold-out crowd.
16:47Notre Dame is a great team, and they're coming to USC.
16:51A lot of hype behind it.
16:52One thing about LA, if you own down the city, they're going to rock with you.
16:56You know what I'm saying?
16:57They're going to rock with you.
16:59What's up, June?
17:00I thought my free game switch was good.
17:02What's up?
17:03Of course, of course, of course.
17:04What's up?
17:05I'm proud of y'all.
17:06You know what I'm saying?
17:06I don't know y'all, y'all don't mean, but I've been watching y'all for a minute, and I'm hyped to see this game.
17:11What do we got on three?
17:12Win on three?
17:13One, two, three.
17:14Win!
17:15Did you know?
17:16I know.
17:17I was so excited.
17:19Both of these teams are coming to this one undefeated off the season.
17:24Let's go.
17:26Yes, we do.
17:27And she got two.
17:30And she got two.
17:31The time is all to work.
17:33All to work.
17:34Get some coverage.
17:36Milo steps it to the lane.
17:38Watches it to strike.
17:39And McDonald's puts it up for two.
17:42They threw the first punch and the second punch.
17:45And we got our ass kicked out of the gate.
17:49The anticipation.
17:51Cross-court pass.
17:52The left two backcourt.
17:54Putting on a show early.
17:55It's such a blessing to be able to play at home and play in front of so many fans.
17:59I think my mindset was just to play my game and not let their defense make me a little scramble.
18:07Come on, Joe.
18:11Go!
18:11We knew it was coming, and yet we just sort of let them get out in transition.
18:21Juju in particular, they were all over.
18:23Hidalgo up against Watkins.
18:27She's been waiting for that matchup.
18:29Oh, my God!
18:30Oh, my God!
18:30Oh, my God!
18:31Not much time lost.
18:33Oh, my God!
18:34Oh, my God!
18:36And Notre Dame may take its lead.
18:39Up by seven at the half.
18:44Somehow, miraculously, we're down seven, and it could have been three, but we didn't execute the game plan a number of times.
18:51Stop living in your own individual worlds.
18:59Watkins step through.
19:00Oh, Dates move in.
19:03Watkins gets the rebound, keeps it.
19:06With pace.
19:09I thought we showed some fight in that third quarter.
19:12I thought Juju asserted herself.
19:14Stripped away by Watkins.
19:16Watkins, stay free.
19:21Juju Watkins is double figures now.
19:27But I think we looked like a team at that point.
19:31Who expected it to be easy?
19:35Yes, we got lucky there.
19:37That was another costly turnover where Notre Dame just got the offense out of it.
19:41It's proving to be part of the difference in this game.
19:43Absolutely.
19:47They're kicking off.
19:48So we can look like they're kicking off and be defeated, or we can look like we're trying to fight and become something.
19:54It's different playing at home.
19:56It's different playing at home.
19:58There's so many people that you want to perform for.
20:01And, you know, when you don't get that right outcome at home, especially, it's like, it's heartbreaking.
20:13This game has to come to an end, just a dominant performance.
20:22It was a really tough loss.
20:27I think we all took it very personally.
20:28And, you know, kind of made a vow to ourselves that we were going to continue to push through the season and do whatever it took to become a team that was super connected and just locked in.
20:42This is an elite eight rematch.
20:47Utah got the upset of the one-seeded USC team.
20:51These teams have been waiting on this for the entirety of the season.
21:00We're going to have three lines.
21:01Trois.
21:03Trois.
21:04Trois lines.
21:05Oui?
21:08Bro, I'm not saying the same.
21:09No, je dis, je dis.
21:11OK, OK.
21:12The premier keep a 10.
21:15Bon, c'est bon, c'est bon.
21:17Oli, je dis, deux, deux, deux.
21:21Oh!
21:28Bon, c'est bon, c'est bon.
21:30Un, deux, trois.
21:31USC!
21:34Good job.
21:41Ben.
21:42Bon, c'est bon.
21:42Bon.
21:43Bon.
21:44Bon.
21:45Bon, c'est bon.
21:46Bon.
21:47Bon.
21:47...
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