USC finds a creative way to keep JuJu Watkins close in Sweet 16 after season-ending injury

The college basketball world still feels the impact of losing USC women's basketball All-American JuJu Watkins. It is difficult seeing the commercials in between games with her and seeing the promos with her among the numerous star-caliber athletes, knowing that her March Madness was cut short this year.

Staying in Los Angeles, she was unable to make the trip to Spokane. The Women of Troy, however, made sure to keep her part of the Sweet 16 trip in their own creative and touching ways. It is this strength of unity that gives fans something of a positive from a hugely unfortunate injury.

Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb has done an excellent job of balancing the team's need to push forward and acknowledging everything that Watkins has already given to the program. The players also did a good job of staying plugged in for their matchup against Kansas State. They, too, found a unique way, though, of still showing their love and appreciation for the sophomore guard.

Something like this is a telling way in which this group has bonded together over the course of the season. Some may point to the numerous changes that are going on at the NCAA level, but Saturday's game should show that the college spirit is still alive and well.

Watching this Trojans roster come together and display this inner chemistry is what building and developing programs is about. The fact that this is a result of Watkins needing surgery on her ACL is not something to gloss over. Her recovery and continued rehab will remain at the forefront of fans' minds.

This, however, served as something of a collaborative show of support and community that other schools do not share. For whatever happens during this year's March Madness, everyone on the team will remember how each other reacted from the moment the season-ending news was heard.

Watkins with the USC women's basketball team

It started on the way to the game. The USC players wore a uniquely designed Nike shirt with Watkins in their walk to and from the bus. Mostly peppy, the team appeared confident and energetic in the video released on the team's X account. In the video, the players appeared ready to take on a tough KSU team with full confidence. At the same time, while gesturing to their teammate on the T-shirt, they remembered who was missing and the efforts that would need to be replaced in her absence.

The Watkins Funko Pop collectible took center stage in front of the USC bench. Of course the Player of the Year semifinalist wasn't there in person. The team did arguably the next best thing. With her figure representative watching the Trojans advance in the NCAA tournament, the gaze of the miniature player approvingly supervised her team's winning display.

In a shot that was then shared on the X account of The Athletic, the still shot showed Watkins clearly part of the now-Elite 8 group. While the watch party and seeing a version of herself from her watch party is not at all how she would have wished to participate, during the postseason, the USC women's basketball program gave her a great gesture that she will enjoy reflecting on well past her playing days in the Cardinal and Gold.