JuJu Watkins only 5 games away from Caitlin Clark for 1 stat after 35 points vs Penn State

JuJu Watkins has been performing at a high level for the No. 4 USC Trojans, chasing records set by former Iowa sensation and current Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. After Sunday, she in nearing one of Clark's feats.

Watkins put up a double-double of 35 points and 11 rebounds against the Penn State Nittany Lions, both game-highs. She shot 13-of-15 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. It marked the 18th time in her career that she reached the 30-point mark.

The March Madness women's basketball page posted on social media, demonstrating how close Watkins is to potentially surpassing Clark for most 30-point games in the first two seasons of a career, which stands at 23.

"@jujubballin making her mark one game at a time," the post caption read.

USC coach reflects on JuJu Watkins' impact

JuJu Watkins' rise as a star in college basketball has been noted by her head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.

Gottlieb saw how several young girls attending USC's game against Rutgers on Jan. 5 had their hair done in the form of buns, replicating the hairstyle Watkins dons every game. It left the coach with no doubt on the impact her star player has on fans throughout the country.

"JuJu’s really had a cultural impact. The girls and boys that come to the game, the way that it’s impacted our program – it’s hard to impact winning like this, right?" Gottlieb said to USA Today.

"She came and impacted winning. Got other great players to come. … They start to talk about that, and little girls can see them, and they can wear the bun, and they can aspire to be like these women."

Watkins has been on a roll throughout the 2024-25 season so far. She is averaging 25.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks on 46.5% shooting from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc.

Her efforts have allowed USC to be 16-1 on the season, including a perfect 6-0 start in conference play. They are producing 84.7 points on shooting splits of 46.5% overall and 31.9% from downtown, dominating opponents by a margin of 30.2 points per game.

JuJu Watkins and the No. 4 Trojans will look forward to their next matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 19 at noon ET.