Kiyomi McMiller’s dad gives major update on Rutgers future after cryptic IG story over not playing vs. JuJu Watkins’ USC

There was a new twist in the Kiyomi McMiller saga on Monday with the Rutgers star's father providing a major update on her future with the Scarlet Knights following her controversial no-show in Sunday's 92-42 loss to JuJu Watkins and the fourth-ranked USC Trojans.

McMiller announced on her Instagram account hours before the game that she would not be playing against USC and that Rutgers coach Coquese Washington made the decision. The freshman guard apologized to her fans and thanked them for their continued support.

The Scarlet Knights also released a statement about the matter, saying that McMiller would miss the game due to a "coach's decision" and that they would handle the matter internally. That caused outrage among fans, who eagerly anticipated the matchup between McMiller and Watkins.

Kiyomi McMiller's dad, Mike McMiller, addressed the situation in an interview with On3 a day after his daughter's benching. He eased Rutgers fans' concerns, saying that McMiller has no intention of leaving the Scarlet Knights' basketball program.

“Kiyomi’s goal was to be at Rutgers and not ever transfer,” McMiller told On3.

He added that this is still their goal and that they are not looking to transfer. It's still unclear what happened between Washington and McMiller that caused the Rutgers coach to bench her star player for the Scarlet Knights' biggest game of the season.

Kiyomi McMiller delivers in freshman season with Rutgers

Kiyomi McMiller has lived up to the hype in her freshman season with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-7, 0-4 Big Ten). She leads the team in scoring and assists, averaging 19.9 points and 3.2 dimes through 14 games. McMiller is also Rutgers' fourth-leading rebounder, collecting 5.4 boards per game.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Kiyomi McMiller controls the ball during a Big10 game against the Maryland Terrapins on Jan. 2 at Xfinity Center. Photo: Getty

McMiller has scored at least 20 points in eight of the 14 games she has played for Rutgers, including a five-game stretch in December. She showed her offensive prowess during that period, recording a pair of 30-point outings.

McMiller scored 30 points in an 83-58 victory over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Dec. 11 before exploding for a career-high 31 in Rutgers' 72-65 win against the Lafayette Leopards on Dec. 21, shooting 12-for-25, including 5-for-11 from beyond the arc.