“She even blocks Lauren Betts”: College hoops fans hype USC star JuJu Watkins’ defensive prowess

College hoops fans praised JuJu Watkins' defense after she led the USC Trojans past the then-No. 1 UCLA 71-60 on Feb 13. Watkins delivered her best performance of the season, finishing with 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks and five assists while shooting 66.7% from 3-point range.

Former 3C2A player Shaquille Hopkins highlighted that Watkins’ defense often goes unappreciated due to her offensive prowess in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

USC Women’s Basketball and Bleacher Report Women reshared the tweet in a collaborative Instagram post, showcasing some of the guard’s best blocks this season.

"JuJu is really LIKE THAT on both sides on the ball 🔥," the post read.

Fans reacted to JuJu Watkins' defensive highlights in the comment section:

"She even blocks Lauren Bets. But then again a lot of guards block her shot idk why," a fan said.

"Her D is what kept USC in the game against Iowa," another fan commented.

"That SC/UCLA game was electric!! Already a classic finish," another fan said.

More fans joined in:

"She’s a great defender ! 🔥," a fan commented.

"She’s just different. Let them 😴.," another fan wrote.

"Maybe underrated as in people typically just talk about her points because averages almost 25 a game is insane. Her defense can be outshined by her offense sometimes because that's what people focus on. But she's great all around, no doubt," another fan commented.

Fans react to Watkins' defense | via @uscwbb, @brwsports/ig

Watkins averages 26.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game this season.

---

JuJu Watkins and UCLA will meet again this season

Lauren Betts and UCLA will get a chance at redemption when they host USC on March 1. The upset loss at the hand of JuJu Watkins marked the Bruins' first loss of the season.

The game was intense from the opening tip, with both teams exchanging leads multiple times in the first and fourth quarters. The Bruins controlled the momentum early in the second half, led by seven quick points from Betts to open the third quarter.

However, USC’s defense stepped up in the final stretch. The Trojans outscored UCLA 24-8 in the fourth quarter, shutting down Kiki Rice and the Bruins’ offense to seal the victory.