Can JuJu Watkins overtake Caitlin Clark in NCAA's all-time scoring list? 

USC superstar JuJu Watkins scored her 1,000th point last Friday against Santa Clara, tying the fourth-fewest games needed to reach the 1,000-point milestone in NCAA Division I women's basketball history at 38 games.

She outpaced NCAA all-time leading scorer and Iowa legend Caitlin Clark, who reached 1,000 points in her 40th game.

College basketball fans are asking now: Can the Trojans phenom overtake Clark in the all-time scoring list? It's possible, but she needs a lot of help from her USC teammates.

JuJu Watkins has moved ahead in her freshman season, accumulating 920 points in 34 games for the Trojans, who made the Elite Eight last season. On the other hand, Clark picked up 799 points in 30 games during her freshman year for the Hawkeyes, who made the Sweet 16 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot guard steadily improved her offensive numbers in the next three seasons. In the 2021-22 season, Clark tallied 863 points in 32 games for the Hawkeyes, who were ousted in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Clark's points surge came during her junior and senior seasons, wherein Iowa competed in back-to-back national championship games. She scored 1,055 points in 38 games and picked it up in her senior year, tallying 1,234 points in 39 games played.

In four seasons, Caitlin Clark amassed 3,951 points in 139 games, moving her past NCAA men's basketball legend Pete Maravich in the all-time Division I scoring record encompassing both genders. This is something that Watkins is aiming to break in three seasons.

Despite the slow start during her sophomore season, Watkins is still on pace to break Clark's record. She now has 1,006 points and her team, barring major injuries to her and her teammates, could make it deep into the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

No. 3 USC is among the favorites to win the tournament this season. If they make it to the national final, the Trojans are on pace to play 38-40 games in which Watkins has more chances to pile up the points as long as she stays healthy.

Last season, Watkins had a streak of five games where she scored at least 29 points, including a game against Stanford, where she sizzled for 51 points. She scored 42 points against Colorado and averaged 27.5 ppg in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

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All eyes on JuJu Watkins as No. 3 USC faces biggest challenge of 2024-25 women's college basketball season

JuJu Watkins and the USC Trojans are 4-0 in the regular season and their "Big Four" — Watkins, Kiki Iriafen, Talia von Oelhoffen and Rayah Marshall — are the talk of the nation this year.

Only South Carolina and UConn are ahead in the AP Poll and USC's No. 3 ranking will be tested again as it faces No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday.

The Trojans were tested in Paris, edging past No. 20 Ole Miss by two points with JuJu Watkins pacing the team with 27 points.

The Fighting Irish are also 4-0 and have defeated foes by an average of 42.5 points. Like the Trojans, Notre Dame has its own Big Four in explosive scorer Hannah Hidalgo, double-double machine Liatu King, high-caliber playmaker Olivia Miles and steady freshman big Kate Koval.

The Niele Ivey-mentored squad also has Cassandre Prosper, Liza Karlen and Sonia Citron serving as reinforcements in case Hidalgo and company have a bad day.

The Trojans-Fighting Irish clash serves as a possible preview of the top NCAA Tournament contenders.

Do you think JuJu Watkins will one day surpass Caitlin Clark's all-time NCAA scoring record? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.