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SPOKANE, Wash. -- USC star JuJu Watkins did not make the Sweet 16 trip to Spokane with the Trojans, but she is still an important part of the team.

"We still feel her presence even though she might not be with us physically," Kiki Iriafen said. "I think she is having a watch party for the game as well."

Watkins tore her ACL during the first quarter of USC's 96-59 win over Mississippi State in the second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament. She has been the engine to the Trojans' success on both ends of the court, but that dominant win was possible because of a strong team response led by Iriafen. 

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Before even playing a game together, Watkins hyped up Iriafen, a Stanford transfer, saying she wasn't talked about enough. They were excited to be teammates and knew this could be a special season.

"JuJu and I talked a lot before I came to USC and kind of just feeling out this decision," Iriafen said. "The biggest thing that we both talked about is winning. We both wanted to win, whatever that meant. I think we are both very selfless players. ... We have this common goal. We have to do whatever we can to get this goal. Now that the journey looks a little bit different, the goal still remains the same."

After her injury, Watkins showed up to practice to support her teammates and has been constantly letting them know she is confident they can get the job done without her.

Iriafen said Watkins has helped the team get this far because of her basketball skills, but also because of her attitude and personality. 

"JuJu is just like a free spirit. She carries the weight of the world on her, but you wouldn't know it because she is so playful," Iriafen said. "She shows up 110% for this team and honestly has helped bring the youth back in for me. Just seeing the way she works out, but even outside of basketball the person that she is and how much she gives back to her community is second to none. 

"We miss her presence around. We miss her in the hotel room, in the film room, at breakfast, everything. But we know she is still rooting us on. This weekend, we are definitely playing for ourselves but we are playing for her as well."