3 players who could lead the nation in scoring now that Caitlin Clark is gone

Caitlin Clarks's college career has been over for a while now and she's already finished her remarkable rookie season in the WNBA. But as the new women's college basketball season tips off, we can't help but remember the greatest scorer in college basketball history. While she left college basketball with 3,951 points and 1,234 in her final season, there are some new faces that can take a shot at her record.

There have only been seven 1,000-point seasons in Division I women's history and Clark has two of them. She also led the nation in scoring in all four of her seasons at Iowa. With her off the board, who could lead the nation in scoring this year?

1. Juju Watkins, USC

No surprise here with Juju Watkins on top of this list. Heading into her second year at USC, she already had 920 points which set the record for most points scored in a freshman season. Watkins has shown to be one of the new faces of women's college basketball. As a freshman, she averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while leading the Trojans to the Elite 8. She finished second in the scoring race to Clark and her average would have led the nation in three of the past four seasons if Clark wasn't in the mix.

Watkins made an immediate impact in college, scoring 32 points in her college debut against Ohio State. Later in the season, she scored a career-high 51 points when USC upset the then-No.4 Stanford Cardinals. Her shot-making ability is elite and rare to see for a player at her age. While she was a standout high school recruit, she has translated her skills to college flawlessly. She is comfortable shooting from 3, pulling up from mid-range, driving to the basket and even finishing through contact. Although she is listed as a guard her athleticism gives her an edge on offense and defense where she can play and guard any spot on the court.

What has stood out the most about Watkins is her composure and confidence. She’s a clutch performer, often stepping up in big games and taking on a leadership role even with more veteran teammates.

She already is picking up where she left off in her sophomore season, leading No. 3 USC over No. 20 Ole Miss with 27 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, and four assists.

2. Paige Bueckers, UConn

After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to an ACL injury, Bueckers came back even stronger as the focal point of the UConn offense. Last season, she averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on 53 percent shooting from the field. Over her three seasons so far as a Huskie, she has racked up 1,683 points, with the most coming from her junior season. She scored 854 points last season while leading her team to the Final Four.

Bueckers is one of the most talented offensive players in college basketball with a complete scoring toolkit. She can shoot from deep, pull up in the mid-range, finish creatively with ease at the rim, and knock down floaters. Her high shooting efficiency and smooth scoring mechanics make her a reliable option for racking in points. Last season she shot 41.6 percent from long range while being the most consistent scorer for UConn. She may not threaten Clark's career scoring record but she could certainly challenge for the scoring crown this season.

3. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

Coming into her second year at Notre Dame, Hannah Hidalgo has already set high expectations for herself. As a freshman, she helped the Fighting Irish reach the Sweet 16, earned first-team All-American honors and was named the top guard in Division I women's basketball, averaging 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 steals.

Hidalgo led the ACC in scoring and was the top freshman in the nation with steals. She was also named ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With three more seasons of eligibility and Hidalgo's passion to improve, the sky is the limit. She is a force on both sides of the ball with exceptional court vision, passing ability, and ball-handling. But when it comes to her scoring she is capable of doing it all and doing anything she needs to do to ensure that her team comes out on top.

Hidalgo will also be sharing the backcourt with fellow star guard Olivia Miles this season, after Miles missed much of last season with an injury. Miles is an offensive force in her own right but she's more of a facilitator and should help set up Hidalgo and take some of the scoring pressure off her.

One game into her sophomore season and her No. 6 Notre Dame squad dominated. Hidalgo dropped 19 points while grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing two assists.