- NCAA. North Carolina's NCAA Tournament bid called a disgrace as selection committee and Bubba Cuningham accused of blatant favoritism
- NCAA. Victor Wembanyama is going to look small next to this 7'9 Florida Gators freshman Olivier Rioux
By now, we all know JuJu Watkins is a game-wrecker. The USC freshman has been an unstoppable force, taking over games with her scoring, defense, and sheer willpower. She single-handedly turned a five-point deficit against then-No. 1 UCLA into an 11-point win, dropping dimes, swatting shots, and making everything look effortless.
"JuJu was otherworldly,"USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after that game.
Watkins will have plenty of big moments in March, but she's not the only one who can change the trajectory of the tournament. Here are five players who could shake things up-and maybe even steal the spotlight.
March's other superstars
- Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt - The Freshman Scoring Machine
Mikayla Blakes has been torching defenses all season. She put up 55 points in an overtime thriller against Auburn, setting an NCAA freshman record, just weeks after dropping 53 on Florida. She's averaging 23.2 points per game, good for seventh in the country.
She's also clutch. When Vanderbilt needed a hero to snap an eight-game losing streak to Tennessee, Blakes came through, grabbing a rebound and scoring a last-second putback for the win. The Commodores are back in the NCAA tournament, and if Blakes gets hot, they could make some serious noise.
- Paige Bueckers, UConn - The Playmaker Who Never Blinks
Bueckers is back and playing at an elite level. She's not just a scorer-she's the floor general every team wishes they had. Her 3.90 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the nation, meaning she rarely makes mistakes. If UConn needs her to drop 25, she'll do it. If they need her to set up teammates, she'll do that too.
She has the experience, the IQ, and the poise to lead UConn on a deep run. Opponents will have to play a near-perfect game to keep her from taking over.
- Ta'Niya Latson, Florida State - The Relentless Scorer
Latson is the nation's leading scorer, averaging 24.9 points per game. Holding her under 10 points is nearly impossible-it's only happened twice in her 47-game college career, and one of those was because of an injury.
She's not just about buckets, though. Latson racks up assists (4.7 per game) and plays tough defense (2.2 steals). Florida State has the offensive firepower to make a deep run, and Latson is at the center of it all.
- Harmoni Turner, Harvard - The Becky Hammon Award Finalist on Fire
Turner has been putting up video game numbers lately, averaging over 31 points per game in March. Her 44-point explosion against Princeton in the Ivy League semifinals broke her own school record and helped secure Harvard's first NCAA tournament berth since 2007.
She followed that up with another monster performance in the championship game, scoring 24 points and taking a game-changing offensive foul in crunch time. She's a mid-major star, but if she keeps playing like this, she won't be a secret for long.
- Hailey Van Lith, TCU - The Comeback Story
Last season at LSU, Van Lith had a rough go-she was in a system that didn't fit her skill set. But now, at TCU, she's back to being the player everyone expected.
She's averaging 17.9 points per game while shooting a career-best 46%. More impressively, she's distributing the ball better than ever, with a career-high 5.3 assists per game. Van Lith is playing her best basketball at the perfect time, and TCU is benefiting.
Who will own March?
JuJu Watkins is the headliner, but she won't be the only star in the NCAA tournament. Blakes, Bueckers, Latson, Turner, and Van Lith all have the potential to take over games and turn the tournament upside down.
Which one of them will have their "JuJu moment" and become the next big story? We're about to find out.