A Tale of Two Fates: Paige Bueckers’ and JuJu Watkins’ Second Round

Written by Lily Dixon

March 25, 2025

On March 24, 2025, Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins played their final home game of the season, marking the end of an era for Bueckers, who has reiterated throughout the season her desire to go pro at the end of her 2025 stint, and for Watkins, whose team now faces uncertainty for the rest of the tournament due to an ACL injury she suffered in the first quarter.

The long-awaited matchup between the two players was canceled. So what happened in their final home games to create such a disparity?

A Record-Tying Performance

Bueckers stepped onto the court with a mission, making a statement with every basket, tying her personal best, and showing out one last time at Gampel Pavilion.

With a brilliant 34-point performance, her teammates could do nothing but pass her the ball and let her take over. She made 14 of 21 field goals and three of her five three-pointers, sinking one right at the end of the first quarter to shift momentum for the Huskies. After trailing 10-6 with a few minutes left in the quarter, her locked-in state fueled a 12-point streak, establishing UConn as the team to beat.

Whether she’ll go on to win a national title remains unknown, with many high-performing teams still in the mix. But Bueckers knows one thing—her final college performance at home was worth celebrating, as the sold-out crowd of over 10,000 stood to applaud her efforts.

Predicted to go first in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Bueckers has one final goal in mind: the hardware that comes with being the last team standing.

Will this be her year?

An ACL Tear to Sign Off

USC star Watkins wasn’t on the right side of fate Monday night, tearing her ACL in the first quarter and screaming in pain before being carried off. Her season is over, and the sophomore will now look toward next year and the chance to make a comeback.

Though USC still cruised past Mississippi to claim a spot in the Sweet 16, questions remain about whether they can take down teams like Kansas State and UConn to reach the Final Four and fight for the championship.

Watkins worked her way through two Mississippi defenders, but after landing awkwardly on her right leg, she collapsed to the ground, clutching her knee in pain and tears. She will undergo season-ending surgery soon and begin rehabilitation shortly after.

Her teammates and coach were visibly shaken by the injury but managed to pull out a 37-point win over the #9 seed.

Will USC continue to dominate, or has the full impact of losing Watkins yet to hit them?