Wednesday was a good day for Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. The freshman point guard’s evening started with bang, as she was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 list – a compilation of the nation’s front-runners for the John R. Wooden Most Outstanding Player Award.

Clark is the first Hawkeye to be named to the list since Megan Gustafson in 2019. Gustafson ended the 2019 season on the Wooden Award’s All-America Team, and she was one of three finalists considered for the Most Outstanding Player Award.

Despite all the accolades and comparisons, Clark remains focused on winning games.

“It’s a great honor, but obviously I just need to keep working,” Clark said. “We’re only a fourth of the way through the season, maybe a little bit more, but there’s a lot of games ahead, and more than anything, I’m here to win.”

Clark did exactly what she came to Iowa to do on Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 37 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to notch her third double-double of the season to help Iowa pick up a 92-79 win over Minnesota.

“She had 11 rebounds tonight, she isn’t a one-dimensional kid,” Hawkeye head coach Bluder said postgame. “She got to the free throw line nine times tonight, made eight of them. Not a one-dimensional player at all.”

Clark ended the night 12-of-19 from the field and 5-of-9 from the 3-point line. Clark’s five shots from the perimeter brought her to 30 total 3-point makes on the season, bumping her into Iowa’s top 10 all-time for 3-point field goals made by a freshman.

“When you have someone like Caitlin Clark on the floor, you’re never out of the game,” Bluder said . “I honestly believe that.”

Clark’s efforts don’t always solely determine the outcomes of games, but her incredible performances certainly give her teammates a lift.

“I think the win is the most important thing, and [Clark] definitely contributed to that,” center Monika Czinano said. “Congratulations to her on a new career high, that’s always so much fun, and always a great honor, but I think we’re all just buzzing over the team win.”

The Hawkeyes trailed for the entirety of the first half, down 48-38 as time ran out in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, the Hawkeyes went on a 30-13 run, compliments of Clark’s four 3-pointers in the ten-minute span.

“I think in [Clark’s] four-year career, I’m going to run out of adjectives to describe her,” Bluder said. “But that was pretty spectacular. I think in the third quarter, when she feels it, those deep threes are no problem … she’s got such great confidence, and I love that.”

Bluder noted that, while Clark has been impressive thus far, she still has things to learn. Bluder believes Clark has turned the ball over too frequently this season. Clark committed a team-high four turnovers Wednesday.

With the win over Minnesota, Iowa moves to 8-1 on the season and 4-1 in Big Ten play.

The Hawkeyes’ next game will come on Sunday in Evanston, Illinois, for a matchup No. 22 Northwestern. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be aired on the Big Ten Network.