In Iowa City, the occurrence unfolded with the same intensity as the fervent crowds trailing Caitlin Clark nationwide. Three attempts into the match, Clark achieved the much-awaited milestone with a classic shot from the logo, eliciting cheers from a packed Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd, still munching on their first Carver Cones of the night.
The mastermind and star of the Thursday night event declared, “You all knew I was going to shoot a logo 3 for the record.” Subsequently, she added 41 more points to establish the Iowa program single-season record at 49, captivating the 14,998 spectators dressed in black and yellow.
The attendees, who had filled the arena for the entire season, remained standing after the 106-89 victory over Michigan to commemorate the school’s acknowledgment of her NCAA Women’s Division I all-time scoring record. They cheered for exclusive tidbits that only they would be familiar with.
Clark’s mom, Anne Nizzi-Clark, conveyed in a pre-recorded video that the significance lay in the smiles Clark brought along the way, not just the accumulating points, which now numbered 3,569. Her family emphasized her humility and joy. After the ceremony, without any extra fanfare, she quietly took a photo holding the commemorative ball with the security guards flanking her through the crowd.
To the season ticket-holders who consistently filled the arena, Clark belonged to them. She embodied Iowa. It had been her home since before she ventured to the 3-point line, before she could shoot or even lift the ball. A local Des Moines star playing for a school and state steeped in a rich sporting history.
Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder remarked, “The University of Iowa is the right place for this to happen. It absolutely is. This is a place that supported basketball, women’s basketball, for such a long time.”
The record-breaking night unfolded seamlessly, mirroring Clark’s iconic logo shots and rapid pace. Despite her assertion that it wasn’t her goal, she wasted no time, playing with heightened energy to meet the team’s needs after a previous loss. Clark shared her thoughts with a roomful of media, creating an atmosphere more akin to a Final Four than a regular-season game.
The flurry of events caught Bluder off guard, preventing her from calling a timeout. It took a moment for her to return to reality, perhaps because achieving such a feat at Clark’s age was unimaginable for her. As the game progressed, even as Michigan made a comeback, the Iowa faithful continued to cheer for 3-pointers and defensive stops.
Clark’s point total rose steadily, from 23 in the first quarter to 28, then 38, and the crowd knew the routine. Last week, Hannah Stuelke brought them to a pause with a near-program record, falling two points short with 47. This time, Clark secured the moment, attempting to break it several times before succeeding with a 3 at the 2:08 mark, concluding the game with a roar from the crowd.
Clark’s nine 3s tied a career high, shooting 51% overall and 50% from 3, accompanied by 13 assists and five rebounds. Stuelke jokingly remarked about Clark taking the scoring record, and Clark encouraged her to break the single-game record during her career.
At Iowa, a passing of the torch has been occurring over the past few years in women’s basketball, gaining record viewership and interest. Associate head coach Jan Jensen and Clark engaged in their own banter about scoring records, highlighting the evolution of women’s basketball in Iowa from six-on-six games to the current era.
Clark, now the NCAA record-holder, still has more points to score before surpassing Lynette Woodard, considered the women’s college basketball all-time scorer. Clark could realistically achieve this feat in the current season, as well as Pete Maravich’s all-time DI men’s record of 3,667 points.
While usually composed, Clark shed a few tears watching a video from her family and credited their support. She thanked her teammates and the growing crowd over her four years with the program. Celebrating the record was essential to honor the sport’s foundation laid by those before her, but Clark also emphasized the excitement for the upcoming “best part of basketball season” and believes the Hawkeyes are at their peak.
The young fans adorned in Clark T-shirts, waiting to have their Carver Cone bowls signed by the newly crowned all-time leading scorer, undoubtedly concur with the sentiment.
