A HUSH FELL over Galen Center Monday night.

Kennedy Smith stood above JuJu Watkins, who laid in agony on the floor. Other USC teammates quickly came to Watkins’ support. They looked at her with concern, love and some fear.

Just moments before, Watkins was upright, fearlessly driving toward the basket on a fast break, as she’s done countless times before. She absorbed contact and was fouled by an opposing player as she’s grown accustomed to.

Only this time, her right knee awkwardly buckled beneath her.