With 6:01 left in the second quarter of USC’s Elite Eight duel with the University of Connecticut Huskies, superstar freshman guard Juju Watkins sank a deep triple to pull the Trojans within three. 

While a first half bucket in an eventual season-ending loss may not even land a place in Watkins’ lengthy freshman year highlight reel, it marked an enormous moment for the Los Angeles native: She became the leading freshman scorer in NCAA Division I history, breaking a record that had stood for 40 years.

All season, Watkins has made both USC and NCAA history, staking her claim as perhaps the best freshman in the history of women’s collegiate basketball and creating a platform to highlight the legends that have come before her. With each record Watkins breaks, the basketball world is given another opportunity to celebrate some of the most important players in the history of the sport. Here are just a few of the hoops giants Watkins’ historic season has given us an excuse to reminisce about.

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Cheryl Miller

It is impossible to have a conversation about USC basketball history without starting with Miller. Despite a basically nonexistent post-collegiate career, she is still considered by many to be the greatest female basketball player to ever live. During her time as a Trojan, Miller was a four-time All-American, three-time Naismith Award winner, and the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in each of USC’s back-to-back championships in 1983 and 1984, the only two titles in the history of the program. 

After the Trojans defended their title, Miller also led Team USA to a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in L.A. She is still USC’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, also briefly coaching the team from 1993-95. 

Miller enjoyed a historic 17-year career as a television analyst, becoming the first woman commentator on a nationally televised men’s professional basketball game in 1996. 

Watkins broke several of Miller’s records in her freshman campaign, including the USC single-season scoring record and the mark for the most 30-point games in a season. Miller was courtside watching it all, as her return to Galen Center became one of the most memorable storylines of a season full of them. 

“The engagement with the alums and having them show us love, and feeling it from us, has been probably the most rewarding thing [this season],” said Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb after a Feb. home game against Utah. “And the attention that [Watkins] has gotten actually shines a light on Cheryl because she’s breaking these records.”

Tina Hutchinson

It was Hutchinson’s mark of 898 points in her freshman campaign that stood as a record for four decades until Watkins broke it on Monday, finishing with 920 points on the year. An explosive 6-foot-3 forward, Hutchinson lit the basketball world on fire with her 1983-84 freshman season at San Diego State. 

She averaged 29.9 points, 10 rebounds and 6.2 steals per game, and was named All-WCAA first team, receiving the second-most votes behind Miller. Hutchinson actually outscored Miller in both of San Diego State’s matchups with the Trojans, including scoring 41 points to the latter’s 36 in a legendary battle in L.A. Miller got the last laugh, however, as the Trojans won both matchups and eventually defended their national title. 

After suffering a major knee injury in her sophomore season, Hutchinson dropped out of San Diego State during the spring semester, eventually playing professionally in Europe. While she was never able to replicate its success, her freshman campaign remains legendary, and going toe-to-toe with Miller is a feat few others can claim. 

Cherie Nelson

On Feb. 3, Watkins scored a remarkable 51 points in a 67-58 win on the road over No. 4 Stanford, breaking the school record for most points in a game by a male or female player. The mark was previously held by Nelson, who scored 50 points against UC Berkeley on March 11, 1989. 

Nelson starred for USC from 1985-89, earning All Pac-10 honors in 1987 and 1989, and was named the Pac-10 player of the year in 1988. She is the program’s second all-time leading scorer and guided the Trojans through the years following Miller’s departure. Nelson still resides in L.A. and founded the Cherie Nelson Basketball Academy in 2013.

Paula McGee

Watkins broke a few of McGee’s records, most notably her USC freshman scoring record and the mark for the most 30-point games in a freshman campaign, shared by McGee and Lisa Leslie. McGee had a legendary first year as a Trojan, averaging 20.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. 

Paula and her twin sister, Pamela, played key roles alongside Miller in both title runs, eventually having both of their numbers retired in 2012. Paula was named All-WCAA first team all four years as a Trojan, was a 1981-82 WBCA All-American, and was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team in both 1983 and 1984. She also went on to start a sports management agency, representing her sister in the WNBA, and is now a preacher and guest lecturer at USC.