AP Player of the Week: Freshman JuJu Watkins of USC helps Trojans hand UCLA first loss of season

Southern California guard JuJu Watkins (12) talks with head coach Lindsay Gottlieb during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in Los Angeles, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) (Ashley Landis, Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Associated Press national player of the week in women's basketball for Week 10 of the season:

JUJU WATKINS, Southern Cal

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The 6-foot-2 freshman wing from Los Angeles scored 32 points, including going 16 for 16 from the free-throw line, to help the Trojans hand rival UCLA its first loss of the season. She also had 10 rebounds while crossing the 30-point mark for the sixth time this season. Watkins has won the Pac-12 freshman of the week award a record nine times already.

RUNNER-UP

Sara Bejedi, Florida State. The senior guard from Helsinki, Finland, averaged 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists in victories over two ranked opponents (North Carolina and Virginia Tech). Bejedi had a career-best 31 points against the Hokies. She made 55.6% (10 for 18) of her 3-pointers on the week.

HONORABLE MENTION

Caitlin Clark, Iowa; Audi Crooks, Iowa State; Liza Karlen, Marquette.

KEEP AN EYE ON

Jasmine Gayles, San Francisco. Scored a career-high 40 points in a win over Pacific on the road. It was the highest scoring effort in the West Coast Conference this season. She also had 18 in a win over Pepperdine.

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AP voters: Pat Eaton-Robb, Doug Feinberg, Pete Iacobelli, Hank Kurz, Joe Reedy, Teresa M. Walker, John Zenor.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball


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