JuJu Watkins Returns in USC’s Exhibition Win Over Cal

JuJu Watkins scored 18 points in 23 minutes as USC beat Cal 78 to 76 in an Oct. 25 exhibition at Galen Center, marking her first competitive appearance after 580 days away. [1] The completed box score also lists three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals. USC’s official account frames the night as a return to competition inside a close exhibition rather than a regular season result. [1] Watkins’ Return Was Documented in the Box Score Watkins opened the game with a layup 14 seconds after the tip. She later tied the score before halftime, and her 18 points placed her alongside an active USC attack in a game decided by two points. [1] The details matter because the return was tangible. She entered the game, produced across scoring, rebounding, passing, rim protection and takeaways, and finished with a specified 23 minutes. Those are results from one completed appearance, not labels or assumptions placed on a return. [1] USC’s recap specifies that the 580 day gap was time away from competition. That wording keeps the focus where the evidence is strongest: Watkins was back in a game, and the official box score provides a clear record of what she did there. [1] USC Closed Out a Tight Exhibition Against Cal The night was close throughout. USC and Cal were tied 33 to 33 at halftime. USC carried a 55 to 51 lead into the final quarter, then Cal pulled even at 71 to 71 with 2:13 remaining. [1] Hall put USC back ahead with two free throws with 1:54 left. Laura Williams blocked a shot with 25 seconds remaining, and Kennedy Smith finished a fast break layup off Davidson’s seventh assist for a 75 to 71 cushion. Davidson made three of four free throws in the final ten seconds to help secure the victory. Those closing possessions show how USC protected its narrow lead, rather than attributing the result to Watkins alone. USC lists Nov. 2 against UNLV in Las Vegas as its regular season opener. That is a future scheduled game, not part of this exhibition result. [1] Saniyah Hall led USC with 23 points, six rebounds and five steals while shooting 9 of 13. Jazzy Davidson added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Those supporting performances explain why the result should be read as a team exhibition, not a one player narrative. [1] USC ultimately finished ahead 78 to 76. That outcome counts as an exhibition victory. It did not add a regular season win, a distinction worth keeping in view when looking at the score or the team’s record. [1] The Record Has a Useful but Narrow Scope Associated Press reported that Watkins missed last season while recovering from a torn ACL and is back on the court for third ranked USC. The report also says she averaged 25.5 points while starting all 67 games in her first two seasons. [2] That 25.5 point figure is a baseline from Watkins’ first two seasons. It is not a current season average. The Oct. 25 box score, meanwhile, documents one exhibition performance: 18 points in 23 minutes, along with contributions in several other categories. [1] [2] That distinction gives readers a practical way to process the news. The verified takeaway is an on court appearance backed by an official recap and an independent report on the broader return context. One exhibition cannot settle questions beyond the game itself. [1] [2] SBA Takeaway Watkins’ USC return now has a firm factual marker: 18 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals in 23 minutes, plus a 78 to 76 exhibition win over Cal after 580 days away from competition. [1] The clean read is the disciplined one. The performance confirms participation and production in the Oct. 25 exhibition. It does not turn an exhibition into a regular season result or a complete answer to anything outside that box score. [1] For readers following USC, this is useful context rather than a conclusion. Start with the actual line, acknowledge the close team result and keep the historical 25.5 point average tied to its proper two season frame. [1] [2] Sources - [1] USC official recap, Oct. 25, 2026 - [2] Associated Press return context Related Reading - Penn Leads Ivy Poll. Votes Are Not Win Probabilities. - Atlanta Takes Finals Lead After a 97 to 71 Game 3 Win - Miami Leads the AP Poll. SP+ Answers a Different Question.