Photo: Google Image
Matthew Adams
Managing Editor
Women’s basketball continues to gain momentum and popularity, largely due to the perfomances of Caitlin Clark on the court. The Iowa Hawkeyes guard recently broke the NCAA scoring record.
Clark became the new record holder in NCAA scoring and was able to make her presence felt in the NCAA as she went up against The University of Michigan with record-breaking in her near future.
Coming into this game, Clark was just eight points away from the scoring record. She would start the game off the tip by driving to the hole for a quick layup. This would put her at 3,522 points.
The next Hawkeyes possession Clark would wrap around two high screens to which she would get the ball and plant her feet to shoot a left wing three. Clark would now be at 3,524 points.
The next possession would be to give Clark the scoring record. Clark would gain control of the ball from the inbound and launch an almost half-court shot from the logo.
“When I saw her take that shot, I knew she would make it,” said Kamari Johnson, a junior marketing major from Atlanta, Ga., about seeing Clark break the record. “I hope she can transfer this into the WNBA.”
With 7:45 left in the first half, Clark would break the NCAA scoring record. After the long-distance three, the crowd would erupt in celebration for Clark. With over 55,000 fans in attendance, the roar of celebration could be heard from Carver-Hawkeye Stadium.
This is not all that Clark was able to accomplish during this game. She was also able to achieve her 6th career 40+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists game.
She was also able to gain a new career high of 49 points. This amount of points that would break the school record for the most in a single game.
Kelsey Plum, a star player at the University of Washington, held the previous NCAA scoring record of 3,527 points. Plum played from 2013 to 2017 with the Huskies.
In an interview with NBC Sports, Plum stated, “I’m super happy for her she can have it. I think it’s cool to see her do it in the fashion that she’s doing it in by bringing attention to the game.”
In her time with the Huskies, Plum would average an astounding 25.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. Plum would have a field goal percentage of 44.3 percent and a three-point percentage of 38.4.
To pair with these stats, the former NCAA record holder also broke a few records during her stint with Washington. These records include becoming Washington’s all-time three-point leader, breaking a 33-year-old NCAA free-throw record, and the all-time PAC-12 scoring record just to name a few.
This would then lead her to the WNBA where she is excelling there as well. Plum now plays for the Las Vegas Aces where she won back-to-back championships.
Clark would end the game with 49 points, 13 assists, and 5 rebounds. To add insult to injury, the Hawkeyes would destroy the Wolverines 106 to 89. With this win, the Hawkeyes are now 26-4.
Clark is in elite company as she is now on her way to breaking Pete Maravich’s NCAA scoring record which is 3,667 points. Clark now has 3,617 points.
The Hawkeyes have two games left which are Minnesota and number 2 Ohio State University.
