Caitlin Clark focused on Iowa success, not NCAA scoring record

Caitlin Clark She has never scored fewer than eight points in a game during her Iowa career, and that’s all she needs to break the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record. AND Iowa Fans who have been filling Carver-Hawkeye Arena to capacity all season will do so again on Thursday, this time anticipating a historic moment for the greatest player in program history.

Anyone who doesn’t already have a ticket will have to be prepared to shell out a lot of money. The average price on the secondary market for a ticket to Thursday’s Michigan-Iowa contest is nearly $400.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a very special night,” Clark said at a news conference. “I’m not looking forward to it at all. We haven’t really talked about it much as a team. It’s just going out and playing basketball and having fun, and this is what comes with that.”

Clark has scored in single digits just once at Iowa. He scored eight points and fouled out of a 77-67 loss at Northwestern on Jan. 9, 2021, as a freshman. It was the tenth game of his college career. Since then, 15 is his lowest point total in a game.

Clark has said all along that the album will come out when it comes. She appreciates the importance, but has kept the focus on her team and being a senior leader since her first preseason news conference in October.

“I understand the magnitude of this,” Clark said of the record. “But I think it’s something that comes with how my four years have gone. I’m really grateful and thankful.”

Getting No. 4 Iowa (22-3) back on track is the most pressing issue. The Hawkeyes entered the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game at Nebraska with a 14-point lead, but ended up with a disappointing 82-79 loss.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, teams ranked in the top 25 of the AP poll that entered the fourth quarter with at least a 14-point lead had not lost this season (they were 296-0) until Iowa fell to the Huskers. . . On ESPN’s Bracketology, the loss dropped Iowa from a projected No. 1 seed to a No. 2 seed for the NCAA tournament.

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Caitlin Clark credits her father for her 3-point shooting prowess

Sue Bird sits down with Caitlin Clark to talk about how Clark’s father guided her game from a young age.

Clark had 31 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals on Sunday against Nebraska, his 15th consecutive game with at least 25 points and 34th consecutive game with at least 20. But it was the first time in Clark’s college career that he played An entire last quarter without scoring.

Clark ignored questions about her illness Sunday, although she seemed flushed as she spoke. teammate Molly Davis She has been so sick that she has missed most of the last two games.

But Clark was concerned about Iowa’s failure to execute well against Nebraska’s defensive adjustments and giving up a double-digit lead. He said he will be more focused on getting the team off to a good start Thursday than anything else.

This could be Clark’s last February in an Iowa uniform, or he could return for a fifth season due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver. Clark has said that she will wait until she finishes the season to make a decision about declaring for the WNBA draft. Iowa still has a chance to win the Big Ten regular-season title, as well as go for its third straight Big Ten tournament championship and then try to make another run at the Final Four.

“I’m someone who has big dreams, goals and aspirations,” Clark said. “I dreamed of doing really big things, playing in front of big crowds, getting to the Final Four. I just go about my business like I did when I was a freshman. Sure, my life has changed a little bit. I just try to have fun and Enjoy every day.”