JuJu Watkins reflects on setting single-season freshman scoring record
It has been an excellent year for women’s college basketball, in large part because of the star power around the game. Now, as some of those veteran players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese prepare to move on to the WNBA, the next round of stars are looking to step up. That, very notably, includes USC freshman JuJu Watkins.
This season, Watkins set the single-season freshman scoring record with 920 points scored this past season. That’s a record that she reflected on setting following USC’s Elite Eight loss to UConn.
“It’s definitely an honor. I mean, of course, like I said, not really the terms I would like to end on, on my season,” JuJu Watkins said. “I mean, I’m just blessed. This program has offered me a lot. I’m so grateful for it. It’s just been a great season.”
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“The record is great. Just the moments that I’ve got to spend with this team have meant everything to me. I’m just excited for next year, yeah.”
Prior to JuJu Watkins, Tina Hutchinson of San Diego State held the freshman scoring record with 898 points that she scored in the 1983-84 season.
Watkins’ best offensive game came in one of the most important that USC played all season, against Stanford on the road. That game came back in early February when she scored 51 points. It was, in many ways, that game, that established JuJu Watkins as a name to watch nationally.
This came the same season that Iowa star Caitlin Clark broke the all-time college basketball scoring record. Her season is still going on and she’ll add to her final total, but as of now, Clark is at 3,900 points. That’s after she scored 799 as a freshman.
Paige Bueckers gives advice to JuJu Watkins after her dominant freshman season
Paige Bueckers has been one of the stars of the women’s game during her time at UConn, and it was her Huskies team that eliminated JuJu Watkins and USC this year. Despite that, Bueckers still had advice for Watkins.
“Yeah, I think success is a process. It’s tough, especially as a freshman to be leading your team like that, have no experience in this sort of environment, on this stage, and lead your team. You feel a lot of pressure,” Bueckers said.
“But for her to have the year she had as a freshman, fearless, confident, one of the best players in the country, she’s got a lot to build on.”