USC v Stanford
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USC freshman JuJu Watkins scored 51 points Friday night. She did it against No. 4 Stanford, on the road, in a 67-58 victory that halted the No. 15 Trojans' recent slide.

The brightest star in a constellation of first-year players dominating women's basketball this season, Watkins dazzled at Maples Pavilion. She withstood a tough comeback attempt from Stanford, a team led by Cameron Brink, the senior center and 2021 national champion who had 19 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocked shots.

Watkins' performance was so astounding, we can't hope to capture it with words. But these numbers should help:

51 points: A new USC record, breaking the 50-point mark set by Cherie Nelson in 1989. Keep in mind, this is the program of Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie. And now of JuJu Watkins.

25 of 31: Watkins had all but six of her team's first-half points, as the score was tied at 31 through two quarters.

14-for-26: Watkins did a lot of her work at the line, where she made 17 free throws, but don't ignore the efficiency from the field. While she shot 53.8 percent from the field, her teammates combined to register seven makes on 38 attempts (18.4 percent).

5 assists: No, that's not Watkins' total. That's USC's entire team total. That's what happens when the point guard is doing all the scoring. 

11 rebounds: That one is Watkins' total, as she led the Trojans on the boards in no small part because power forward Kaitlyn Davis and center Rayah Marshall both fouled out against Brink and company.

5 minutes, 44 seconds: A USC scoring drought in the first quarter during which Stanford was able to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 15-9 lead. Guess who ended the cold stretch? Watkins with a jumper.

27.2: That's Watkins' points per game this season after this game -- she entered at 25.8.

After the game, the Pac-12 Network commentating crew joked in an interview with Watkins, "Caitlin who?," referring to Iowa star Caitlin Clark, the nation's leading scorer at 32.1 points per game. Watkins immediately deferred to the senior, saying there was nothing but respect on her end.

A little influence, too, perhaps, with every 3-pointer right in the face of a defender. Watkins overwhelmed Stanford, which tried all sorts of defensive matchups. Nothing could stop her on this night.