JuJu Watkins, a star player for USC women’s basketball, has made history by breaking the NCAA D1 women’s college basketball scoring record previously held by San Diego State’s Tina Hutchinson for 40 years. Watkins achieved this feat during USC’s Elite Eight appearance against UConn, hitting the record-setting three-point shot in the second quarter. Prior to this game, Watkins was just seven points shy of Hutchinson’s record with 891 points, surpassing it with a total of 898 points. This remarkable achievement adds to Watkins’ already outstanding freshman year, where she has exceeded expectations as the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and the top recruit in the country.
In addition to breaking the all-time freshman scoring record, Watkins has set multiple school records at USC, including the single-game scoring record of 51 points against Stanford and the most games with 30 or more points by a USC freshman with 14 such games leading into the Elite Eight. Watkins has been a dominant force throughout the season, finishing second in scoring with an average of 27 points per game, only behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. She has won fourteen of seventeen Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards, setting a new record, and has been named a first-team All-American and the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
Watkins’ exceptional performance has not only garnered individual accolades but has also transformed the USC women’s basketball program. Under her leadership, the Trojans secured their first conference championship since 2014, achieved their highest NCAA seeding and AP Top 15 ranking in years, and made their first Elite Eight appearance in three decades. Watkins has been a driving force behind these accomplishments, leading USC on a successful run in the NCAA March Madness Tournament and now aiming to make it to the Final Four and contend for a national championship. Her impact on the team’s success and her record-breaking achievements have solidified her status as one of the top players in women’s college basketball.
