"It means so much" - JuJu Watkins makes her feelings known after USC takes the dub at Big Ten championship

USC star JuJu Watkins was once again the star of the show as the No. 4 Trojans trounced the No. 2 UCLA Bruins 80-67. Watkins had 30 points on 45.4% shooting from the floor and 36.4% shooting from beyond the arc, three rebounds and five assists to lead the Trojans to their first Big Ten regular season title and first conference title since 1994.

During her postgame interview, Watkins revealed the scale of USC's achievement in winning the regular season championship at the home of the Trojans' rivals.

"I think it means so much just knowing the history of it all," JuJu Watkins said. "This is a really historic building, especially for USC. We don't come here that often so when we come here, we make sure to seize that opportunity. It means a lot. Coach was saying it's really just a testament to our longevity and all the work we put in this season to make sure that we got this dub and ended the season on a strong note. It was important."

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JuJu Watkins gets the praise of coach and teammate

JuJu Watkins has had a stellar season so far and it was the second time in a month that she had put the UCLA Bruins to the sword after dropping 38 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the USC Trojans' 71-60 win at the Galen Center on Valentine's Day.

During her postgame news conference, USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb heaped praise on how Watkins dealt with the pressure of the game.

“The amount of attention she gets, the scrutiny, the positives — it’s a lot,” Gottlieb said “But the ability to focus and say, ‘What do I need to do for me to be at my best and do what the team needs to do to win?’ That’s the mental aspect. We have learned to appreciate the greatness of our stars and also value what everyone else does."

In the second half, JuJu Watkins was more tightly marshaled by UCLA and she managed 7 points but USC star Kiki Iriafen picked up the slack tallying 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

During her postgame news conference, Iriafen, who shares a close relationship with Watkins, chose to praise the talented star instead of focusing on her impact on the game.

"Playing with JuJu, I'm super confident," Kiki Iriafen said. "I know maybe I'm not having the best day; she's going to take care of what she needs to do."

With Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins powering the USC Trojans, bracketologists have projected that coach Lindsay Gottlieb's team will be a 1-seed at the upcoming March Madness where they will be one of the favorites to win the national championship.