Caitlin Clark has filled arenas all season, and the packed house here Thursday got to see the home state hero make sports history. The Iowa Hawkeyes guard broke the NCAA women’s basketball career scoring record, delighting the crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
And she did it about as quickly as she possibly could.
Clark came into No. 4 Iowa’s game against Michigan with 3,520 points, needing eight to break the mark set by Washington’s Kelsey Plum (3,527) from 2013 to 2017.
Clark took the ball off the opening tip and drove in for a layup. Then she made a three-pointer from her preferred position on the court, the left side. Another 3-pointer from the same side caused chaos. It took her 2 minutes and 12 seconds to set the record.
Clark and Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder had both stated before to the game that they did not expect a halt of play when the record was reached. But Iowa called a timeout, and Clark’s teammates joined her on the court for a joyful group hug. Clark’s broad smile told the story of the night: the pursuit of a record that she said had never felt like a burden was now hers to enjoy.
“That’s cool. “It’s cool to be in the same league as a lot of really, really good players,” Clark remarked during a halftime interview on television. “I’m lucky to do it because I have really good teammates and really good coaches and a great support system that surrounds me.”
She was not finished after breaking the record, however. Clark scored 23 points in the first quarter, shooting 8-of-10 from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three. It was the most points she’d scored in a first quarter in her Iowa career, and the second highest in any quarter. She scored 25 points in the fourth quarter of a defeat to Michigan on February 6, 2022.
“Just grateful. Thankful to be surrounded by people and be in a city that supports women’s basketball so much,” Clark said. “Be surrounded by my best friends and people that want to see me be great and push me to be great every single day.”
Clark has the potential to set new scoring records during her final year. The AIAW large-school women’s record, achieved shortly before the NCAA era by Kansas’ Lynette Woodard from 1977 to 1981, stands at 3,649 points. Pete Maravich of LSU set the NCAA men’s record of 3,667 from 1967 to 1970, prior to freshman eligibility in collegiate basketball.
Clark is already the first Division I women’s player to have 3,000 points and 1,000 assists. However, records and milestones only tell part of Clark’s narrative. She is a generational talent who is increasing the popularity of her sport.
“My favourite athletes are those who are champions in sports and champions in life, and Caitlin Clark is one of those athletes,” tennis legend and women’s sports advocate Billie Jean King told ESPN.
“She is the hottest star in basketball — all of basketball, not just women’s basketball — and that comes with a great responsibility to be a leader both on and off the court.” She understands it, which is why she will have the opportunity to be one of the finest in her sport and a role model for future generations.”
Clark, who has just turned 22, has a lot on her shoulders, yet she appears to be having a great time. She continues to play with the same enthusiasm, confidence, and cheerful spirit that she brought to the court as a college freshman in 2020, when games were largely played in nearly empty arenas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Caitlin Clark Show” is now one of the most difficult sporting events to obtain tickets for. Fans of all ages shout out her name and wear her No. 22 shirt. Parents take their kids hundreds of miles to see Clark. On game days, police escort her to and from the arena, as well as onto and off the court.
NCAA rule changes regarding name, image and likeness have allowed Clark to appear in national advertising campaigns. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes complimented her game while talking to media in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, widely considered the best shooter in NBA history, has praised Clark’s shooting form and poise.
“Caitlin’s special,” said Curry, one of the WNBA stars Clark has modelled her game after, along with Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Plum, and Sabrina Ionescu. “The record speaks for itself, and it is cool. From a scoring and shooting standpoint, simply doing what she’s doing — she could choose anyone she mentions as an inspiration. If she models something in her game after me, I don’t take it for granted.”
According to ESPN commentator Rebecca Lobo, a 1995 UConn national champion and 1996 Olympian, Clark and Curry have characteristics that make them both successful and appealing to a diverse audience.
“Caitlin is the whole package,” Lobo said. “She’s playing the game a way we haven’t seen before by a woman. We’ve not seen someone take that many shots from quite that distance and hit them at such [a high percentage].
“And she’s like Steph Curry — he’s charismatic and he’s not a physical giant. So every kid can visualize 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 actually don’t have to be that tall to try to do the things she does.”
