USC Women’s Basketball Main coach Lindsay Gottlieb came to defense of Mississippi State Player Chandler Prater after she faces harsh criticism online for her commitment to the play, resulting in Juju Watkins’ season ending on Monday night.
In a talk with the media on Friday, Gottlieb made it clear that she didn’t think Prater’s games in the first half of the second round game resulted in Watkins’ damage.
The southern California watch Juju Watkins (12) falls on the floor with the ball between Mississippi State Guard Eniya Russell, Left, and Guard Chandler Prater, right, during the first half of the second round of NCAA College Basketball Tournament on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
“There was nothing to me that looked like it had any intention to hurt her … I mean it’s not a USC view at all,” she said, Via Espn. “It was a physical game … No one deserves online bullying in any area, but certainly not a young woman in Chandler who tried to play, and unfortunately our player was wounded.”
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Prater, a graduate student in his first season with Bulldogs, Seemed to disable his comment section on its latest Instagram posts after exposing an influx of hateful messages. According to reports, some of the comments called Prater called a “dirty” player.
“Learn how to play the sport without taking and hurting players,” read a post.
“Dirty as hell,” read another. “Stop playing basketball, you’re so A- Don’t you need anything for it?”
Southern California’s guard Juju Watkins (12) responds to the floor after an injury during the first half against Mississippi State in the second round of NCAA College Basketball Tournament on Monday, March 24, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater face online criticism after Juju Watkin’s injury
Watkins was injured on a rapid degradation of the court. Prater and another Mississippi state player protected her as Watkins planted his right foot down and her knees bent awkwardly. She immediately grimed with pain as she grabbed her right knee on the ground and she was eventually led off the field.
“We really have passionate fans and there is a lot of love for Juju and I understand that people are sad and hurt that she is injured, but no one in our camp feels like there was any kind of attack on her and would not support any kind of online bullying or things of that kind,” Gottlieb added via ESPN.
“She is a young person who was Plays basketball, Also, and I’m sure I wouldn’t have any part of a negative situation that it turned out to be. “
Southern California’s main coach Lindsay Gottlieb talks about Juju Watkins during a news conference before Sweet 16 by NCAA College Basketball Tournament Friday, March 28, 2025 in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
The Trojans move on without Watkins, who will undergo surgery and rehabilitation after tumbling his ACL. They face No. 5 seeds Kansas State Saturday in Sweet 16.
“I think the prevailing feeling is that we can still do something together, and that’s what Juju wants us to do,” Gottlieb said of the team’s thinking that goes on in the women’s tournament.
