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00:00When it comes to March, the energy, the animosity, the pride.
00:12March Madness is everything.
00:14Last year, nobody expected us to win.
00:17This year, people expected us to win.
00:21Believing in the work, that's the biggest thing.
00:23I want us to be thinking excellence.
00:26We can't want it more than you do, trust me.
00:28We need to guard Staggers to get to Spokane.
00:32I feel like I'm getting goosebumps now because I'm like, March was just a moment where it's like, we're here.
00:38It was easy to believe we could achieve something as great as a championship.
00:45Welcome to the NCAA Women's Championship, Juju Watkins.
00:48She makes everything look so easy, but that's because she's put in all the hard work.
00:58All right, go ahead and hold it.
01:06Selection Sunday, we have a little party with the fans.
01:10We're going to find out who we're playing, where we're playing for the NCAA tournament.
01:14This is my second Selection Sunday, and it was cool to see so many fans and family there, and Galen.
01:21Good party.
01:26Welcome to the NCAA Women's Selection Special.
01:3068 teams, all with one mission.
01:32Call themselves national champion.
01:35Are you nervous?
01:37You ain't excited.
01:39This ain't the part to be nervous about.
01:41I want to see where rematches happen.
01:44Rematches from last season's tournament, rematches from incredibly exciting games that we had this season.
01:49But we might see Notre Dame or UConn, depending on who are two-seeded, if we get them to one.
01:54Who's going to be the final one seed, you may be asking at home.
01:58You take a look at these comparisons of resumes with UConn and SC.
02:02UConn holds the number one spot in the net rank.
02:04How does UConn have a number one net rank?
02:06They got a number one net rank every year.
02:09I was just like, wherever we are, I really don't care.
02:12We play who we play, and the goal is to win, no matter who we're playing.
02:18Your final number one seed is those USC Trojans.
02:24Sitting at that two spot, it's the UConn Huskies.
02:27They so messy, the NCAA, putting UConn in our bracket.
02:30How do you feel if you're USC getting this bracket with UConn?
02:34Not too good.
02:35Because you have to go through the Huskies again to get to the final four, just like you did last year.
02:39I think that's probably a little frustrating.
02:42When I saw the bracket, I said, the winner of USC and UConn, whoever it is, will go on to win the national championship.
02:51USC women's basketball looking to cut down the nets.
02:58The madness begins for our Trojans right now.
03:02The opening tap is controlled by USC.
03:06Game one of two here at the Galen Center.
03:09Watkins with the jumper.
03:10She's got four.
03:11That moves her into ninth place on the all-time scoring list at USC.
03:16Watkins can't be stopped.
03:23And USC is on to round two in the NCAA tournament.
03:29And here we go.
03:31Ball goes up.
03:37Look at the jumps for a three.
03:39Come on, Tiki.
03:41Go ahead.
03:43All the way.
03:45Go ahead.
03:46Three-pointer.
03:47It's good.
03:50Debrecia Poe tripped up Tiki.
03:53Right corner for Watkins.
03:55Tiptoes the baseline.
03:56Tries to send in left corner.
03:57And she's tripped under the basket.
04:00There's Russell.
04:01Ten on the shot clock.
04:03Eriven on the switch.
04:04Tied it up.
04:05Took it away.
04:06And more great defense from the Trojans.
04:10Watkins goes down hard.
04:13And she's grabbing her right knee quickly grimacing in pain.
04:16And I'm going to attempt to bring her first personal.
04:22This was the time I'm calling to the corner.
04:33Hey!
04:36How can I go to the back and make sure she's okay?
04:38I'm surprised.
04:39I know.
04:39Yeah.
04:41Give me a second.
04:42I'll be talking.
04:43Okay.
04:43Okay.
04:43Oh, it's hard for me to talk about it just because it was, I don't know.
05:06Like, I just, in that moment, it didn't feel like something that was normal.
05:14So here we are, you know, and she gets carried off.
05:19And then what happened in this building is just an emotional response that I've never felt in an arena before.
05:28It was very hard.
05:35Just, I think, everybody on the team, it was very emotional.
05:38Her presence was definitely missed, but we still, like, had her back.
05:40And on by Rhea Marshall looks the other way for the freshman, Kennedy Smith, for two.
05:54She's got the look in there like she wants 41.
05:57And she's got the ability to get there.
05:58There's a lot of love and support right now for the players on the court and what they were able to accomplish
06:12and what they did through adversity tonight.
06:20Thank you, guys, for being here.
06:23I don't have an update on Juju because I know that's what you all want to know.
06:27So players don't have any update either as well.
06:30So disrespectfully, I'd ask you not to ask them something that they don't know.
06:35They really did a good job in closing out the game.
06:38And then, you know, just went through the whole process, got an MRI, drove back to Galen, got the news.
06:51And then, yeah.
06:57I tore my ACL and that was it.
07:03Yeah.
07:03Her future is bright and I'm just wishing her, my prayers are up for her.
07:23You know, send a lot of love and prayers out to Juju.
07:25You can come back better than ever.
07:27And sending the best to Juju.
07:28Get better, sir.
07:29Get well, Juju.
07:30Get well.
07:31I love you.
07:32Bye.
07:32Get well soon, Juju.
07:33Get well soon.
07:34Get well.
07:35We love you.
07:36Hope you get well soon, Juju.
07:38Hey, guys.
07:39Surprise.
07:41Surprise.
07:41You're not really thinking like, you know, you get hurt and everyone in your community is sharing that pain with you.
07:50It's a big testament to humanity.
07:53And then to me, it's like it's bigger than basketball.
07:55Basketball is one thing.
07:56It always is.
07:57It's so much, it's so much bigger.
07:59Yeah.
08:00Yeah.
08:00Yeah.
08:00I know.
08:02No, I know.
08:04It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:06It is.
08:07It is.
08:07It is.
08:07It is.
08:08It is.
08:08It is.
08:08It is.
08:08No one is going to force her more than ever to go deeper within.
08:15Right.
08:16And understand her purpose.
08:18I was like, I don't really want company right now.
08:21So I think before seeing them, I was like, bro, like I literally told you don't do this.
08:25Like, I just need to be in my room with my blinds closed right now.
08:29So that was me being a little dramatic, but just, you know, just seeing them
08:35Definitely lifted my spirits in the moment and they know what I need
08:47Wasn't I do not to be playing in the sweet 16, but I'm super happy for them
08:53We had spent so much time getting to that point so to see them
08:57Show up for big moments and just play their game. I was really proud
09:13Trojans aren't done dancing. They are on to the elite eight for the second straight season
09:22With the effort to fight the resiliency the cohesion from USC
09:27Without the central hub of their team, could you lock it?
09:35The lead is back to 15
09:39Not all that good for USC
09:41Yeah, the Connecticut Huskies are headed to a record
09:49But again, the Trojans played without their leader
09:57You know, did a lot of praying this morning last night, just wishing for the best
10:03Way better than you
10:05If I can try
10:07That means we'll get here 30 minutes, girl
10:10Of course
10:15I'm scared, but
10:17But
10:18Just happy to get it over with, I get
10:37God, our healer, our provider
10:39And we ask that you take this baby and let you be with her every step of the way
10:43Guide her parents and all the cousins and aunts and everyone
10:47We just thank you, God
10:48Lord, we just thank you and guide you
10:53Amen
10:57She was emotional
11:00Lots of process
11:02Going into surgery
11:05And all of us are together
11:08And
11:09And just praying
11:11We're good
11:11yeah i'll get you some more he said just three times three times she said she's in a lot of
11:24things yeah i know you're frustrated it's okay to drop a tear but you know you're gonna be okay
11:42you're gonna be just fine
11:48you didn't leave nothing on the table for nobody else to get though i have to give you kids i know
11:53you're not a greedy person but you didn't leave nothing for you didn't leave nothing baby oh i
12:02you're a beautiful person you won't be just fine
12:05yeah just fine first like major surgery so definitely nerve-wracking
12:12it was just kind of like okay now we can jump right into rehab
12:21so
12:30thank you are you ready to put your hands in the water too
12:33no i'm not doing that
12:34i gotta do that yes after the surgery it was just like pt six days out of the week so
12:41just tackling that like i would anything on the court
12:45i feel like i'm running you feel like you're running
12:51usually the recovery time is like nine to twelve months
12:55second speed or should we bump it up a little bit
12:57going in the pool kind of helped me learn how to walk again because i wasn't able to put
13:06all of my weight on my leg yet it's hard to not kind of wish things were different but i think
13:17i think it's for the better
13:22the goal is to be a better player and person
13:32so she's inscribing her awards and all of her stats from last season
13:37naismith or and wooden or if it's you know you win a final four national championship a super bowl
13:43kind of this is kind of the standard with us when we do the memorabilia so we always joke and say
13:47just don't be so good yeah i won a couple of awards uh the wooden award the dawn staley award
13:59ann myers drysdale award to be recognized that way you know kind of after everything happened it was
14:06definitely bittersweet because it was like damn like just a mixture of like
14:12emotions i guess juju watkins big 10 player of the year as a sophomore
14:18yeah i think this is one of my biggest goals this year i'm really proud of you that you've been
14:23named today the may smith national player of the year i'm so incredibly honored to be receiving
14:29the woodian award and i definitely wish i could have been there in person receiving this award but
14:33nevertheless i am so grateful the awards were a reflection of the season that she had what i hoped
14:40was the injury didn't take away from that because it was truly an incredibly dominant season the whole
14:47city of la you have the whole country and really just basketball and sports fans in general everyone
14:53behind you on this recovery process
14:58this is my first time kind of being outside in the public eye since the surgery so you know excited
15:06but also nervous we're going to the overtime event and i will be coaching i have like a little showcase
15:12this overtime showcase so it's a lot of like girls from high school and this is really sponsored by
15:18stephan what are we doing um i didn't realize planning practice could be that difficult so i empathize with
15:32all coaches we got a lot of young talent in the building here we go one two i'm not really the most
15:47social person so i feel like that's going to require me to kind of step out of my comfort zone be a little
15:53more outgoing i think that's going to open up her portfolio right like like her communication skills i
16:00think it's great for her to be more uncomfortable to take that role a lot of girls look up to her
16:05and you know i feel like she needs to do that we got to be on on the same page
16:10she's been down for a minute so it's nice to see her in her element i am coaching against
16:37fly j i know fly j she's really cool people great player really cool person dope rapper i mean the
16:45the list doesn't end thank y'all you're just so beautiful you're the one looking beautiful it's
16:52always you no mom you said hello okay yeah she's coming i'm like sure she comes to me
16:5712. yeah me too yeah me too how far along i get searched on monday oh geez i know all right y'all know
17:16what we came to do this is what i roll on the board today that's all i need
17:30four points that's four points right and this is why she is the number one player
17:35your first ever o2 select takeover as a head coach and you come out of here with a win
17:54how are you feeling uh you know i feel great i really owe it all to my team i mean they're they're just
18:00amazing so i was honored to coach them honestly to team juju
18:14wmba all-star is it's so much fun one of the most exciting parts about all-star for the fans
18:23is getting to see juju again are you a big anime fan yeah yeah yeah have you seen uh kuroko like the
18:32basketball one no no that's that's that's my i've only seen clips where i'm like it's actually like
18:40so well like thought out like you should watch it
19:00so how has your weekend been treating you it's been good i've been having fun um ready for the game
19:04tonight tonight for sure now are you down to take some photos with a few fans for sure oh
19:11can you see the juju watkins is my queen shirt she's ready
19:18i'm excited to be here do all the like appearances and stuff and then get to see the games
19:37so many players have sent me so much love so to just be here supporting them and watching a great
19:48game i'm really excited sabrina came over she's definitely somebody that i look up to i was really
19:55grateful that she took time
20:01in the back of my head i'm like okay this will be me and
20:04in a couple years but honestly i was just enjoying the fan experience of it all and
20:08you know just seeing some of my favorite players play here we go that's 2025 AT&T WNBA all-star game
20:16austin nailing those four-pointers in warm-ups how about page
20:26showing off that famous left the room again
20:28the vibe of women's basketball and now people are starting to pay attention they're showing up
20:45every single night and you can see that they're taking the game very very seriously
20:49juju is one of the main names in college basketball she draws inspiration from canis
20:57parker and now asia wilson just knowing that she stands on the shoulders of giants who have carried
21:02this game for so long now she's a part of the the tidal wave the tsunami that's happening with women's
21:08basketball and then just add the juju factor on top of that it's unstoppable my perspective has
21:13definitely changed since the injury you can never take it for granted and when things don't go your
21:19way you can only use it as fuel to work even harder i believe everything happens for a reason
21:43so
21:49you
21:51you
21:53you
21:55you
21:57you
21:59you
22:01you
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