JuJu Watkins and USC Aim to Spark Joy in L.A. with a Victory

LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins and her fellow Southern California women’s basketball squad had a few notable guests in the locker room on Sunday evening.

Cherie Nelson, who held the program’s scoring record for an extended period with a 50-point performance, was one of several Trojans alumni at Galen Center. She brought along her 98-year-old mother, whose residence in nearby Altadena was ravaged in the wildfires last week.

“She informed us she’d been following our progress and wanted to meet JuJu and the team, and then her mother lost her home,” Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb remarked. “Considering the situation, it was uncertain if they would attend, but her mom insisted, ‘No, I want to go see the USC women’s team play.’

They were among an energetic crowd of 5,881 that featured actor Vivica A. Fox and several youngsters at one of the initial sporting events held in Los Angeles since the wildfires commenced on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers are scheduled to resume their games on Monday night after Saturday’s matchups were postponed.

“I saw it as a golden chance to enjoy ourselves,” Watkins stated. “The atmosphere has been somewhat somber here in L.A., so our aim was to put on a performance and amuse the attendees for a few hours.”

Watkins netted 35 points, while Kiki Iriafen contributed 28 in USC’s 95-73 triumph over Penn State, ranked fourth.

Watkins, Iriafen, and Rayah Marshall hail from Los Angeles, whereas Kennedy Smith is from neighboring Chino, and Clarice Akunwafo is from Inglewood.

“This week has been challenging for L.A., and for me as well, just hearing the stories,” Watkins expressed. “Individuals I know have been impacted too. It’s truly weighed heavily on our hearts.”

Iriafen is from the San Fernando Valley, which has been in jeopardy due to the Palisades fire. While her family wasn’t directly impacted, she mentioned that people close to her have lost their homes or had to evacuate.

“We’re genuinely trying to spread positivity, doing all we can through donations, and I’m very prayerful, so I’m engaged in that as well,” Iriafen remarked.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to come here today and play basketball. If we can bring smiles to faces for a couple of hours or provide an escape from the ongoing situation, we’re immensely thankful to do that.”

Penn State made the journey to Los Angeles after consulting with the Big Ten, USC and UCLA administrators, and medical professionals.

“They assured us that it was healthy and secure to come play, and we trusted their assessment,” Nittany Lions coach Carolyn Kieger stated.

Gottlieb remarked, “We are grateful that they had enough confidence in the systems to come.”

Following the game, the Nittany Lions were headed to Long Beach, where they will stay until facing top-ranked UCLA on Wednesday. The Bruins relocated the game to Walter Pyramid, approximately 35 miles from their Westwood campus, which is close to the Palisades fire.

“Pivot,” Kieger commented. “UCLA needs to do this as well to ensure a level playing field. For us, we simply transition and devise a new game strategy. We’ll be prepared to compete.”

Kieger noted that at first her players were filled with queries regarding the travel to Los Angeles, where smoke and ash from the wildfires are affecting air quality.

“The main concern was everyone’s safety. They’ve been outstanding since we arrived here,” she said about her team.

USC’s and UCLA’s games against Northwestern were postponed after the Wildcats opted not to travel due to the fires. UCLA had proposed moving its game to accommodate the Wildcats, but they still declined.

The Trojans were on the East Coast when the fires erupted.

“I was amazed at the number of texts I received after the Maryland game from people who were saying, ‘This was the best two hours I’ve experienced in a while just watching,'” Gottlieb said.

Her strategy is to keep the Trojans aware that larger issues are affecting them while allowing them the opportunity to concentrate on the sport they cherish.

“I suppose I’d say this will eventually pass,” Watkins noted. “The most significant thing for us and the community is to maintain faith and hope that improvements will come.”