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Great scorers come in a variety of flavors. Some rain threes to etch their names in history. Others dominate the paint with ruthless precision. The college game’s been a breeding ground for bucket-getters since day one-and UConn’s Paige Bueckers is crashing the party, ready to topple Caitlin Clark‘s throne before they even hit the WNBA.
The underrated assassin: Bueckers’ hidden fire!
Bueckers’ reputation as a point producer hasn’t always matched her production. Whereas players like Caitlin Clark and Maya Moore were hyped as scoring machines, Bueckers-an all-around phenom-flies under the radar. That is, until you dig into her stats, especially when the postseason lights burn brightest. She’s not just playing-she’s rewriting history.
The record chase: Can BueckerssSteal Clark’s crown?
With that, here’s what you need to know about Bueckers and her scoring exploits as she approaches the Women’s NCAA Tournament career scoring record. Clark owns the top spot with 492 points across 17 games-a jaw-dropping 28.9 per game. Bueckers won’t touch that average, but she’s got a shot at the raw total. Just 49 points in the Final Four could vault her past Clark’s 492. Game on.
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The Top 10: Where Legends collide!
Most points in a Women’s NCAA Tournament? Clark reigns supreme, but Bueckers is joint fourth with 444 points, tied with Nneka Ogwumike and trailing Chamique Holdsclaw (479) and Maya Moore (476). With three straight 30-point games in 2025 and a tournament average of 28 points, she’s a scoring inferno-efficient, unstoppable, and gunning for the top. Here’s the elite list:
Caitlin Clark (Iowa) – 492 points, 17 games (2020-24)
Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee) – 479 points, 22 games (1995-99)
Maya Moore (UConn) – 476 points, 22 games (2007-11)
Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford) – 444 points, 21 games (2008-12)
Paige Bueckers (UConn) – 444 points, 20 games (2020-25)
Diana Taurasi (UConn) – 428 points, 23 games (2000-04)
Breanna Stewart (UConn) – 417 points, 22 games (2012-16)
Arike Ogunbowale (Notre Dame) – 414 points, 19 games (2015-19)
Brittney Griner (Baylor) – 403 points, 18 games (2009-13)
Bridgette Gordon (Tennessee) – 388 points, 18 games (1985-89)
Bueckers isn’t a natural score-first fiend-coach Geno Auriemma’s begged her to shoot more-but a Final Four explosion could snag her the record and bury Clark’s legacy in the dust.
Caitlin Clark: The queen under siege
Clark is the tournament’s greatest-ever scorer. The Iowa legend dragged the Hawkeyes to back-to-back title games, rewriting the record books. Her first two runs (2021, 2022) were solid but shaky-stumbling against UConn and Creighton. Then came 2023 and 2024: a junior-year rampage (31.8 points, 10 assists, 5.2 rebounds) with 41-point outbursts against Louisville and South Carolina, and a senior-year encore (30 points, 8.7 assists, 7.7 rebounds). LSU and South Carolina stopped her, but she went out blazing.
Chamique Holdsclaw: The timeless titan!
Chamique Holdsclaw’s name still echoes 25 years later. The 6-2 Tennessee forward was a mid-90s dynamo, snagging three titles and two Most Outstanding Player awards (1997, 1998). Averaging 21.8 points per tournament game, the two-time Naismith winner was a Volunteers legend before her WNBA stardom.
Maya Moore: The silent destroyer!
Moore powered UConn to titles in 2009 and 2010, earning Most Outstanding Player in the latter. Less trigger-happy than Clark or Holdsclaw, the 6-foot forward thrived with teammates like Tina Charles. Her 2010 run? A ridiculous 24 points per game on 58.2% shooting and 60.6% from three-pure domination.
Nneka Ogwumike: The almost-champ!
Ogwumike never tasted NCAA glory, but she came close-four Final Fours with Stanford. Her senior year (2012) was her peak: 26.8 points per game across five matches. She couldn’t lift the trophy, but she left her mark.
Paige Bueckers: The legacy slayer?
Bueckers is the freshest threat, torching the 2025 tournament with 30-point outbursts to fuel UConn’s 16th Final Four in 17 years. She’s been a postseason stud since 2021, but this year’s different-she’s a scoring beast on a mission. If she keeps this up, Clark’s record-and legacy-could crumble before their WNBA face-off.
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