Gottlieb Defends MSU Player Amid Watkins Injury Criticism

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb defended Mississippi State's Chandler Prater, who was involved in the play that led to JuJu Watkins' season-ending ACL injury during an NCAA tournament game. Gottlieb stated that there was no intent to injure Watkins, emphasizing that it was an unfortunate basketball play. Following the incident, Prater faced significant online harassment, with some fans blaming her for the injury. Gottlieb condemned the bullying, asserting that it was unjustified and that Prater was simply competing in the game. Both Gottlieb and Mississippi State's coach, Sam Purcell, reiterated that the players did not play to harm each other and expressed sympathy for the situation. Watkins, a standout player, is expected to undergo surgery and face a lengthy recovery.