Numbers don’t lie: Paige Bueckers has outperformed Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins
The women's NCAA Tournament is down to six teams heading into the final two Elite Eight matchups Monday night.
And each game — Iowa vs. LSU at 7 p.m. ET, followed by USC vs. UConn at 9 p.m. ET — is thick with enough juicy subplots to make them must-see theater.
But the main attraction will be the individual superstars, led by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader whose soaring popularity has lifted the women’s game to new heights, even surpassing the men’s game in terms of media coverage, attendance and ticket prices.
Clark, however, won’t be the only first-team All-American guard in action when her Hawkeyes take the court in Albany, N.Y., against defending champion LSU in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s national title game.
As Clark renews her trash-talking rivalry with LSU star Angel Reese, the other game features two players Clark has largely overshadowed — USC freshman sensation JuJu Watkins and UConn’s all-everything guard Paige Bueckers, who will face off in Portland, Ore., with a Final Four berth at stake.
While Clark has garnered national attention for her extraordinary scoring numbers, Watkins and Bueckers have excelled in the background, quietly putting together outstanding seasons that would have garnered some of the spotlight if it wasn’t focused squarely on Clark.
After his team’s Sweet 16 victory, UConn coach Geno Auriemma even took a stab at elevating Bueckers’ profile above Clark’s when he called his star guard “the best player in America.”
His comments caused a social media stir, although Auriemma was only saying what any coach would say about his player. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb would likely say the same thing about Watkins, whose scoring numbers mirror Clark’s when she was a freshman.
But if you were to compare Bueckers, Clark and Watkins statistically, which player would come out on top?
Below is a table that shows the three players’ numbers in several key categories over the past six games — their three conference tournament games in addition to their NCAA Tournament games.
What might come as a shock to some is that the numbers support Bueckers, a redshirt junior, who leads in 10 of the 18 categories, followed by Clark (six) and Watkins (two).
While Clark generates more shots and assists and Watkins gets to the free-throw line with more frequency, Bueckers is more efficient as a scorer, is less mistake-prone with the ball in her hands and has a greater impact as a defensive player.
It’s easy to forget that Bueckers, who played only 17 games in the 2021-22 season and missed all last season due to a torn ACL, was the National Player of the Year as a true freshman.
But she’s returned to the court this season as a stronger, better and more mature player than her former self. On a team that typically plays only six players because six others are out with season-ending injuries, Bueckers’ all-around game is largely responsible for carrying UConn into the Elite Eight.
With a chance to join South Carolina and NC State at the Final Four in Cleveland on the line, Monday night's games could be the most riveting showcase of talent ever seen in the women's college game.
The past two seasons have belonged to Clark as the two-time National Player of the Year. And the future belongs to Watkins, who could become the face of women’s college basketball once Clark leaves for the WNBA.
When it comes to tournament play, however, Auriemma isn't just being biased. He's right. The best player in America has been Bueckers.
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