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Longtime ESPN reporter Holly Rowe is catching heat after she compared a women's basketball game at the University of Southern California to the BET Awards during a live broadcast.
Rowe made the controversial comment during the USC Trojans' matchup against UNC Greensboro during the first round of the women's NCAA tournament on Saturday (March 22).
While speaking about Trojans star JuJu Watkins, who dropped 22 points during USC's dominant win, Rowe described the guard as a "cultural icon in LA."
"I was at a game here last year, and I thought I was at the BET Awards," Rowe said during the USC vs. UNC Greensboro broadcast, noting that "like every star in that community" attended the 2024 game she went to.
A clip of Rowe's comment went viral on social media and received mixed reactions from sports fans.
"Holly Rowe needs to explain why she felt like the she was at the BET awards at a basketball game & what she means when she refers to “THAT community," one X user tweeted alongside the clip.
"Holly Rowe said Juju Watkins turned USC into the BET Awards That’s not crazy ?????" another social media user asked.
Other X users appeared to defend Rowe, saying she was referring to the USC vs. UCLA game attended by several Black stars and athletes, including Sanaa Lathan, Kevin Hart, and Russell Westbrook.
See more reactions to Rowe comparing a USC game to the BET Awards below.
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