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JuJu Watkins dominates with 35 points in No. 10 USC’s win over Le Moyne

USC guard JuJu Watkins is surrounded by Le Moyne players during the Trojans' 93-42 victory Monday at Galen Center.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
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JuJu Watkins scored 35 points, hitting six three-pointers, and No. 10 USC routed Le Moyne 93-42 on Monday night.

Watkins has totaled 83 points in her first three college games, including 32 in the Trojans’ season-opening victory over then-No. 7 Ohio State last week. She was named Pac-12 freshman of the week for her performances.

Watkins scored 13 of the Trojans’ first 15 points in the fourth and then sat down for good. They led 91-32, allowing Lindsay Gottlieb to go to her bench. Aaliyah Gayles got into her second straight game, her first collegiate action since recovering after being shot 18 times at a house party in Las Vegas in 2022.

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JuJu Watkins finishes with 18 points and seven rebounds to lead No. 21 USC to a 67-51 home-opening win over Florida Gulf Coast.

Nov. 10, 2023

Rayah Marshall added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Trojans. As the tallest player on the floor at 6-foot-4, Marshall dominated in the paint against the shorter Dolphins, who have no one over 6-1 on their roster.

USC (3-0) raced to an 11-0 lead and ran off 12 straight points over the end of the first and start of the second quarter to go up 28-8. Watkins scored eight in a row, completing a four-point play, and the Trojans went into halftime leading 46-20.

Lytoya Baker scored 14 points to lead the Dolphins (0-4), whose roster includes seven freshmen and sophomores.

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Le Moyne proved hopelessly overmatched as the game went on.

USC outscored the Dolphins 30-8 in the third, including a 21-0 run that featured six different players scoring. The Trojans led 76-28 going into the fourth, when Watkins took over.

Thanks to a season-opening upset of then-No. 7 Ohio State, the Trojans jumped 11 spots to No. 10 in Monday’s AP Top 25 poll, their highest ranking since finishing the season seventh in 1993-94. Watkins immediately made a mark, scoring 50 points in her first two games combined, equaling a record set by Cheryl Miller as a freshman in 1982-83.

Up next for USC: Versus Seton Hall on Nov. 20 in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship in the Bahamas.

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