Let’s Talk College Hoops and Cards
Yesssss! It’s tourney time!!
While we may remember her always being a part of our lives, Caitlin Clark’s ascent into the public eye actually took off during the 2023 tourney—remember the Angel Reese back and forth in the title game? In fact, here’s the Google search traffic for “Caitlin Clark” over the last two years:
That giant spike to the left represents April 2-9, 2023; you can see her name starting to bubble up in searches before the previous couple of weeks.
So, you ask, who will be this year’s Clark? I have some ideas, but I enlisted some help here, as well. Maria Marino is a play-by-play voice and contributor to ESPN covering women’s basketball. She was also the UConn women’s team reporter for SNY from 2019 to 2023. She knows this as well as anyone.
On to the names!
Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
You may have heard of her. Bueckers had a ton of preseason hype and then had what one could consider just an “okay” season, by her standards – 19 points per game (with about five assists and five rebounds) but also winning Big East Player of the Year honors. If you’re of the opinion that maybe Bueckers was held back a little to save up for a deep tourney run—you may be on to something.
“She entered UConn as one of the most hyped players ever – and has lived up to it when healthy—but a national championship has eluded her,” Marino says. “With plans to declare for this year’s WNBA draft, I expect her to leave everything out on the floor in the tourney.”
JuJu Watkins, G, USC
Watkins is the front-runner for the Wooden Award, and for good reason—she is averaging 24.6 PPG, with 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists. She just signed an exclusive memorabilia deal with Fanatics and even has her own “First Pitch” card in Series 1:
“Watkins is picking up where Caitlin Clark left off in terms of star power,” Marino says, adding that she “(scarily) has yet to reach her full potential at just 19 years old.”
USC lost in the Big Ten championship game after beating UCLA twice in the regular season, so Marino thinks, “We’ll get Juju with a chip on her shoulder the rest of March.”
Lauren Betts, C, UCLA
Betts was leading the Wooden odds mid-season as undefeated UCLA sat at No. 1 in the nation. She eventually lost the “favorite” designation to Watkins as the season wore on, but Betts is a force—averaging what is essentially a double-double on the season (19.6 PPG and 9.7 rebounds per game).
“Betts is a universal mismatch at 6-foot-7,” Marino explains. “While the first two meetings against USC did not go her way (her team’s only losses this season), she took over in the second half of the Big Ten Tournament championship, finishing with 17 points (7-10 FG) plus four blocks and four steals.” Betts has said she’s going to stay at UCLA for her senior season next year, but the Bruins can go deep and make Betts a household name.
Marino also says to keep an eye on Betts’ teammate, Kiki Rice: “Her 7.6 assists per game in the conference tournament—nearly three more than her season average—could also foreshadow her ability to step up when stakes are the highest.”
Hannah Hidalgo, G, Notre Dame
Hidalgo is known for her steals—in February, she had already set a Notre Dame record for most steals in a season by a sophomore. But she can also light a fuse and has a made-for-TV energy that should elevate her national standing.
Marino calls Hidalgo “one of the most entertaining players in the country”—ranking fourth in the nation in both points and steals. “After an early exit in the ACC Tournament, Notre Dame is another team with something to prove heading to the Big Dance,” Marino adds. “The experience she gained making the Sweet 16 last season should serve her well this time around.”
Hailey Van Lith, G, TCU
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith won the Big 12’s Player of the Year award after leading the Horned Frogs to a 30-3 record.
“It’s been a redemption season for Van Lith after transferring from LSU,” Marino says. “Look for her to keep squeezing as much as possible out of her fifth year en route to raising her draft stock.”
