JuJu Watkins stats today: How did the USC star fare vs Illinois? (Feb. 23)

JuJu Watkins and the fourth-ranked USC Trojans extended their winning streak to six games on Sunday, courtesy of a 76-66 win over the 25th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini at Galen Center. Watkins was among three starters to score double figures.

Watkins scored 22 points on 6-for-16 shooting. She was automatic at the charity stripe, knocking down all 10 free-throw attempts. Watkins has now averaged 20-plus points in a game 22 times this season to take her tally to 24.3 points per game.

JuJu Watkins registered five rebounds, three assists, four blocks and one steal in 34 minutes of action. The sophomore guard has now recorded 15 blocks in her last four games, eight of which came in the upset win over the UCLA Bruins.

Below are JuJu Watkins' stats from the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini:

Player	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FG	3PT	FT	ORB-DRB	STL	BLK	PF	TO
JuJu Watkins	34	22	5	3	6-16	0-4	10-10	1-4	1	4	1	1

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JuJu Watkins gets offensive help from Kiki Iriafen in win over Illinois

Besides JuJu Watkins, Kiki Iriafen toyed around with the Illinois defense by scoring 22 points in 37 minutes. The tally included her shooting 8-for-18 from the field, 6-for-8 from the free-throw line, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal.

Iriafen's performance against Illinois meant she has registered double figures in all but one of USC's 27 games this season.

USC Trojans forward Kiki Iriafen (#44) and Michigan State Spartans center Ines Sotelo (15) battle for the ball in the first half at Galen Center. (Credits: IMAGN)

Rayah Marshall also played a significant part: 12 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 6-for-10 to mark her fourth double-double of the season. Marshall had previously accomplished this milestone in games against Indiana, California Baptist and Seton Hall.

The Trojans led the first quarter 26-22. Illinois trailed 11 points (37-26) due to JuJu Watkins' layup, but a fightback (10-3 run) in the final five minutes reduced the deficit to four points (40-36) at the break.

The Fighting Illini began the second half with a 6-1 run to grab the lead. In the third quarter, USC immediately responded and built on a double-digit lead with a 16-5 run.

The Lindsay Gottlieb-coached Trojans never looked back after that, as they settled for a 76-66 win. The result bolstered their Big Ten record to 15-1 and their overall record to 25-2.