Defensive battle awaits JuJu Watkins and USC against Mississippi State in March Madness

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Defensive battle awaits JuJu Watkins and USC against Mississippi State in March Madness

2025-03-24 07:33 Last Updated At：08:01

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sam Purcell turned on the TV Sunday morning and the first thing he heard was talk about a rematch between UConn and Southern California in the women's NCAA Tournament.

Wait a doggone second, the Mississippi State coach thought.

“We’re a speed bump that happens to be here and we’re going to find a way to make it as tough a competition as we can,” he said.

JuJu Watkins and the top-seeded Trojans (29-3) face the ninth-seeded Bulldogs (21-11) in the second round Monday night. The winner advances to a regional semifinal in Spokane, Washington.

“Our last game in Galen Center for the season,” USC senior Rayah Marshall said. “We are looking to go out with a bang.”

Watkins, of course, is the centerpiece. The sophomore star had 22 points and eight rebounds in the first round as the Trojans opened their bid for a national championship.

“Honestly, it’s going to be really fun playing against a player like her who obviously has worked on her game so much and prepared at such a high level and is such a great scorer,” Mississippi State guard Chandler Prater said.

Playing its first game in nearly two weeks, USC struggled offensively in the opening quarter against UNC-Greensboro. So the Trojans brought out their “Mad Dog Press,” the brainchild of veteran assistant Beth Burns.

With Marshall at the head, the Trojans forced UNCG into 23 turnovers on their way to a 71-25 victory.

“Whoever the dog is in the front, most of the time it’s Rayah, just brings it,” freshman Avery Howell said. “Kind of starts it all for us, being loud, being big. That scare factor at the front, it’s just really energizing for our team.”

Purcell wants the Bulldogs to embrace the disruption so much that he planned to open Sunday's practice by blocking the ball out of bounds on every player.

“If we can have the mindset that we’re going to get our shot blocked, as simple as that sounds in the women’s game and understand that I need to bounce back and still come at them, then we’ll have a fighter’s chance,” he said.

The Trojans blocked 10 shots against UNCG, led by Marshall with seven. They'll have to contend with 6-foot-6 Madina Okot, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 59-46 win over California.

“Defense is going to keep us in this game,” Bulldogs guard Jerkaila Jordan said. “Just bringing that defensive mindset or letting our defense create our offense. We're going to bring it.”

Purcell and Burns were on the staff at Louisville together before each moved on to their current jobs.

“She’s just always been a defensive coach where she gets after it,” Purcell said. “You can see the pride that she gets mad when you give up two points.”

Jordan is taking NIL out of the gym and into the kitchen.

She inked a deal with former NFL and Mississippi State player Reggie Kelly's company to produce her own sauce that's used to top concession items at Humphrey Coliseum and also is sold by the bottle at men's and women's games as well as a Starkville retailer.

Jordan didn't just slap her name and likeness on “Jerk Sauce.” She was part of the development process and selected the flavor herself, making sure it was tame enough to appeal to a variety of palates. The first batch sold out in less than a day. Jordan receives a royalty from each $12.99 bottle sold.

“Like how cool and dope is that, right?” Purcell said. “Not only does she approve it, but it actually tastes good. I am proud of her and just proud of people in Mississippi invested in women’s basketball.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.