Clamping Caitlin Clark And Angel Reese, Can JuJu Watkins Make USC Trojans 2024 NCAA Champions?

Juju Watkins is turning it on for the USC Trojans this season with her scintillating performances in the opening month. The five-star recruit has given the likes of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark a run for their money with a tremendous exhibition of her skills. She has certainly lived up to her hype and expectations as her desire to be the best has scripted her name in the record books. As a result, the Trojans are unbeaten in the competition so far and are currently 3rd in Pac 12.

However, the bigger question here is can Juju’s individual achievements lead USC to national glory in 2024?

How is the Trojans’ season turning out to be?

Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad is headlining the women’s division of the NCAA championships. The Trojans are on an 8-0 winning streak and have looked formidable in each game. Moreover, what’s more interesting is the manner and margins of their victories. Apparently, USC has secured their last three victories with a difference of at least 30 points.

Consequently, they are ranked No. 5 in a poll conducted by USA TODAY Sports Women’s College Basketball. Seemingly, they now have a great chance to have an unbeaten non-conference play.

However, Gottlieb is in no mood to keep the team’s guard down and doesn’t want to take anything for granted. She recently opened up about her thoughts on the team’s performance. Lindsay said, “I want to be sure this team is equipped to handle things that are hard because we know it’s not going to be a breeze by any means. We’ve talked about championship habits and championship standards, we have really tried to use this practice time to get better and make sure that we have our players’ attention on the things that are most important, which can sometimes be hard to do when you’re winning, but I think this group has really bought into the big picture.”

What are USC’s strengths and challenges?

One of the driving forces behind USC’s overall success this season is the exceptional form of their freshman Juju Watkins. The 18-year-old is leading the team in terms of points with an astonishing average of 27.2 per game. She has single-handedly taken on the opponents and has been the prolific scorer for USC.

Second, as a unit, they have developed a functional chemistry between them as all players are complimenting each other well. A whole lot of credit should be given to head coach Lindsay Gottlieb for inspiring the team to execute all the plans and strategies on the court. In addition to this, their offensive style of play can take the game away from the opposite team in the blink of an eye.

Read More- Raising the Bar in Her Freshman Year, Can JuJu Watkins Overtake Caitlin Clark?

However, the USC Trojans are yet to face a challenging team in the competition so far. None of their victories have come against any team inside the top 10 rankings. Furthermore, their vulnerable defense was almost exposed in their encounter against Penn State. They had to claw their way back into the game after being behind throughout the game. Additionally, they don’t have a backup player who can step up in case Juju fails. The All-American guard has won most of their battles for them this season on her own.

Juju Watkins raises the bar

The 2023 Naismith Prep Player of the Year has set this year’s tournament on fire. Juju has forcefully asserted her dominance in the tournament and has made a lasting impression as a freshman. The former No. 1 recruit made an explosive start to her college basketball career landing 32-point, 6-rebounds, and 5-assist against USC’s season opener against Ohio State. Following this, she has not looked back and delivered four 30-point games after that.

She is only behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark’s average of points per game in the nation. Further, Juju has a 50.6% accuracy in her shots and a 47.6% efficiency from 3-point range.

Juju Watkins has accomplished wonders in the debut season for the USC Trojans. Her extraordinary talent led her to go past the record of WNBA greats like Lisa Leslie in just 6 games. However, fans will be hoping that her individual brilliance can lead the way for USC to become national champions for the first time.

Do you think Juju can lead USC to national glory this season? Let us know in the comments section.

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