BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — University at Buffalo's Chellia Watson is a walking bucket. No seriously, the redshirt senior is on fire this season, averaging close to 25 points per game.
It puts her in the top five in scoring in the nation, third overall to be exact as of Monday, with some pretty good company. Iowa's Caitlin Clark leads the nation with 32.4 PPG and USC's JuJu Watkins is second in the nation with 27.3 PPG.
“It’s kind of crazy. It’s a huge, huge, huge compliment to bring up Caitlin Clark. She’s big like everyone knows her," Watson told 7 Sports. "I just have to stay humble. Knowing it can change at any moment.”
The game that put Watson in the national conversation was her 47-point performance against Toledo just last weekend.
“I’ve had a lot of those moments. But that was probably to the extreme, above and beyond every other moment I’ve had with her," says UB head coach Becky Burke. "I’ve had a lot of front-row seats to see a lot of things she’s doing. But that was another level."
“Like it hit me towards the end when my teammates were like oh my gosh, oh my gosh. But, I don’t know, it's cool, it’s cool," Watson adds.
The Bulls are the second youngest team in the country, so Watson’s ability to generate offense – but also show poise in big-time moments – is exactly why Burke brought her to Western New York.
“For her to be in the conversation for player of the year in this league. She could be in a lot of places right now," Burke said. "But I think the fit, the relationships and the role she’s playing here at Buffalo has been what’s really special to her.”
And for Watson, a two-time transfer, she trusted Burke to find her a home to thrive in. Well safe to say, mission accomplished
“She said the exact same words about this program, about me and about the work we were going to put in together. So I trusted her the whole way. She hasn’t sold me short in any way," said Watson.
