Female Basketball of the USC Chief coach Lindsay Gottlieb arrived at the defense of the Mississippi Chandler Pater state after facing the harsh online criticism for his participation in the play that resulted in the injury of the Juju Watkins season on Monday night.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Gottlieb made it clear that he did not believe that Pater’s game in the first half of the second round game resulted in Watkins injury.
The Guard of Southern California, Juju Watkins (12) falls to the floor with the ball between the Mississippi State Guard, Eniya Russell, on the left, and the Guardian Chandler Pater, to the right, during the first half of the second round of the University Basketball Tournament of the NCAA on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
“There was nothing to me that seemed to intend to hurt her … I mean, that is not a vision of the USC at all,” he said, Via ESPN. “It was a physical game … No one deserves bullying in any kingdom, but she is certainly not a young woman in Chandler, who tried to make a play, and unfortunately our player was hurt.”
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Pratra, a student graduated in his first season with the bulldogs, He seemed to disable his comments section on his most recent Instagram publications after facing an influx of hate messages. According to the reports, some of the comments called a “dirty” player.
“Learn to practice sport without dirtying and hurting players,” reads a publication.
“Dirty like hell,” read another. “Stop playing basketball, you’re so a … Do you have to get dirty like this?”
The Guard of South California, Juju Watkins (12), reacts on the floor after an injury during the first half against the state of Mississippi in the second round of the NCAA University Basketball Tournament on Monday, March 24, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Chandler Pater of the state of Mississippi faces criticism online after Juju Watkins’s injury
Watkins was injured in a rapid rupture on the court. Pater and another player from the state of Mississippi watched her when Watkins planted her right downward foot, and her knee bent awkwardly. He immediately grimaced while he was on the floor grabbing his right knee, and was finally taken out of the court.
“We have really passionate fans, and there is a lot of love for Juju, and I understand that people are sad and hurt because it is injured, but no one in our camp feels that there was any attack against it, and would not support any type of harassment online or things of that nature,” Gottlieb added, through ESPN.
“She is a young person who was playing basketball, Also, and I’m sure I didn’t want any part of a negative situation that turned out to be. “
The chief coach of southern California, Lindsay Gottlieb, talks about Juju Watkins during a press conference before the Sweet 16 of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 28, 2025 at Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
The Trojans are still without Watkins, who will undergo surgery and rehabilitation after tear their LCA. They face seed No. 5 Kansas state Saturday at Dulce 16.
“I think the predominant feeling is that we can still do something together, and that is what Juju wants us to do,” said Gottlieb about the team’s mentality in the future in the women’s tournament.
