South Carolina junior standout Ashlyn Watkins will miss the remainder of the season after tearing her ACL, the program announced Tuesday.
Watkins suffered the injury in the first half of Sunday's 95-68 win over Mississippi State. Surgery will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 7.2 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game in 14 appearances, as well as 1.9 blocks per contest, good for best on the team and fourth most in the SEC. She has been a critical component in No. 2 South Carolina's frontcourt rotation in her three seasons in Columbia, including last year, when the Gamecocks went undefeated and won the national title.
In November Watkins missed the team's season opener, as she was suspended following an arrest on assault, battery and kidnapping charges that were soon after dismissed.
South Carolina, which is in the hunt for its fourth national title, is back in action Sunday when it faces Texas A&M, before facing five consecutive ranked SEC opponents.
