Iowa’s Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA women’s hoops scoring record

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark She didn’t have a specific plan for how she hoped to break the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record on Thursday. But after doing so and at the same time configuring the Iowa Hawkeye‘ single-game scoring record, Clark had to smile.

“You all knew I was going to shoot a logo 3 for the record,” said Clark, who now has 3,569 career points, 49 of them on Thursday. And indeed, every aspect of the night seemed storybook perfect for the senior star.

Clark entered No. 4 Iowa’s game against Michigan with 3,520 points, needing eight to surpass the mark previously established by Washington‘s Kelsey Plum (3,527) from 2013 to 2017. Clark did it as fast as he could.

He took the ball for the first goal and scored a layup. He then hit a deep three-pointer from his favorite spot on the court, the left side. An even deeper 3-pointer from the same side, one of Clark’s signature shots on the logo, produced chaos in the packed house at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

It took Clark just 2 minutes and 12 seconds to become the NCAA record holder. At the end of Iowa Victory 106-89 on the Wolverines, she had also surpassed Megan Gustafson’s school record of 48.

“I don’t know if you can really write a better script,” Clark said. “I’m very grateful to do it this way. Very grateful to be surrounded by so many people who have been my foundation.”

This was Clark’s fourth career game scoring 45 points or more and he had 13 assists. In total, he scored or assisted on 79 of Iowa’s 106 points (74.5%).

“It’s really hard to stop Caitlin Clark,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said.

“I think he enjoys it,” he added of how Clark seems to shine brightest in the biggest moments. “If you work so hard at your craft, don’t you want to share it with everyone? Don’t you want to express it?”

Both Clark and Bluder had said entering the game that they did not anticipate a stoppage in play when the record hit. However, Iowa took a timeout and Clark’s teammates joined her in a joyous group hug on the court. Clark’s wide smile told the story of the night: the chase record that she said she never felt like a burden was now hers to celebrate.

However, it was far from over. Clark was 8 of 10 from the field (5 of 7 from 3-point range) in the first quarter, scoring 23 points. It was the most points he scored in any first quarter of his Iowa career, and the second-most in any quarter. He had 25 in the fourth quarter of a loss to Michigan on February 6, 2022.

From there, it was just a matter of how high he would go on Thursday.

“Honestly, during the warmup, my shot felt good,” Clark said. “So I knew it was going to be one of those nights, and I played with a little more pep in my step. I knew that’s what this team needed after a loss.”

Clark scored 31 points Sunday in Nebraska as the Hawkeyes were upset 82-79. But the Wolverines could do nothing to stop Clark from taking over Thursday. Bluder praised Michigan and said that as much as the Wolverines fought in the game, they also gave Clark a gift and wrote him congratulatory notes.

Clark could reach even more scoring milestones this season. The AIAW women’s record at large schools, set just before the NCAA era by Kansas‘ Lynette Woodard from 1977 to 1981 has 3,649 points. The NCAA men’s record is 3.667 per L.S.U.Pete Maravich from 1967 to 1970, before becoming eligible for freshman college basketball.

There’s also a chance that the AIAW’s overall record (3,884 points, set by Francis Marion’s Pearl Moore from 1975 to 1979) could be on the line for Clark, depending on how far Iowa advances in the postseason. Clark is currently averaging 32.8 points for the Hawkeyes (23-3), who have four regular-season games remaining.

Clark is already the first Division I player to reach 3,000 points and 1,000 assists. But her records and milestones are only part of her story. She is a generational talent who is growing the popularity of her sport.

“My favorite athletes are those who are champions in sports and champions in life, and Caitlin Clark is one of those athletes,” tennis champion and women’s sports advocate Billie Jean King told ESPN.

“She is the most popular star in basketball, in all of basketball, and not just women’s basketball, and with that comes the great responsibility of being a leader on and off the court. She understands that, and that is part of the reason why “She will have the opportunity to be one of the best in her sport and a role model for future generations.”

There’s a lot on the shoulders of the young woman who just turned 22, but it looks like Clark is having the time of her life. He plays with the same passion, confidence and joyful style that he first brought to the court as a college freshman in 2020, when games were mostly played in nearly empty stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 19.

Now, the “Caitlin Clark Show” is one of the most sought-after tickets in sports. Fans of all ages shout her name and wear her No. 22 jersey. Parents drive their children hundreds of miles to see Clark. Police escort her to and from the arena on game days, and on and off the field.

Changes to NCAA rules regarding name, image and likeness have allowed Clark to appear in national advertising campaigns. Kansas City Chiefs attacking player Patrick Mahomes praised his play while speaking to the media in the run-up to the Super Bowl. warriors of the golden state guard Stephen CurryWidely considered the greatest shooter in NBA history, he has praised Clark’s shooting form and poise.

“Caitlin is special,” said Curry, one of the players, along with Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Plum and Sabrina Ionescu — after whom Clark has modeled his game. “The record speaks for itself, and it’s great. From a scoring perspective, from a shooting perspective, just doing what she’s doing, I could pick anyone she talks about in terms of inspiration. If it models anything from her game after me, I don’t take it for granted.”

ESPN analyst, 1995 University of Connecticut 1996 national and Olympic champion Rebecca Lobo said Clark and Curry have similar qualities that make them successful and attractive to a wide range of fans.

“Caitlin is the total package,” Lobo said. “She’s playing in a way we’ve never seen from a woman before. We haven’t seen someone take that many shots from that distance and hit them from that distance. [a high percentage].

“And she’s like Steph Curry: She’s charismatic and she’s not a physical giant. So every kid can envision themselves as Caitlin Clark. It’s not like, ‘Well, to play like her I’d have to be 6-4 or 6-5.’ ‘ “Caitlin is 6-0, but you don’t really have to be that tall to try to do the things she does.”

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native opted to stay in her home state to attend college, leading Iowa to the last two Big Ten tournament titles and the 2023 Women’s Final Four. Last season, she broke the NCAA tournament scoring record (191 points), recorded the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA postseason history and led Iowa to an upset of the undefeated No. 1 overall and defending champion. South Carolina in the national semifinals.

Iowa fell to L.S.U. in the championship game, which drew a record 9.9 million viewers on ABC. The 2023 NCAA Tournament catapulted Clark to another level of popularity. That has continued to rise since the Hawkeyes’ preseason game in October at Iowa Football Stadium, which drew 55,646 fans, a Record attendance at a single game in women’s basketball.

“You need superstars in sports,” Julie Foudy, Olympic champion and world champion in women’s soccer, told ESPN. “Missing in action [Hamm] He was our superstar. She was shy and introverted. Caitlin seems more comfortable dealing with all the attention.

“But Mia then, as Caitlin does now, also recognized the meaning and importance of her popularity. Her value, not just individually but collectively, and how so many other women could benefit from her stardom.”

Clark could stay another season at Iowa, due to the 2020-21 COVID-19 waiver, or she could declare for the 2024 WNBA draft, where she will almost certainly be the No. 1 pick. Clark said she will wait to make that decision until after this season.

The Carver-Hawkeye crowd chanted, “One more year!” at the conclusion of Thursday’s game.

“I paid them,” Bluder joked. “I thought it was a pretty good song.”

For now, Clark is focused on trying to win Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships for Iowa, and making a return trip to the Final Four. And with every additional point he scores, he will increase his own NCAA record.

Clark said what moved her most after the game were the congratulatory messages that played on the arena’s video screen from her coaches, teammates and family.

“They’ve seen me go through really tough losses and really great wins,” Clark said of his parents and two brothers. “They’ve been there pushing me to be my best and allowing me to dream since I was a little girl. I wasn’t planning on crying tonight, but it touched me a little.

“I’m so grateful every day because I play in front of 15,000 people. I get to do it with my best friends. I get to play the game that I love more than anything.”