Iowa women’s basketball junior Caitlin Clark reached the 2,000 career point mark during the No. 13 Hawkeyes’ 92-54 win against Dartmouth on Wednesday. 

The junior passed 2,000 when she hit a 3-pointer early in the second quarter of her 75th game, tying former Delaware and current WNBA player Elena Delle Donne as the fastest to 2K in Division I women’s basketball history.

“It’s pretty crazy to think about,” Clark said. “Obviously, I know that it wouldn’t be possible with all my teammates … I wasn’t really expecting coach [Lisa] Bluder to call a timeout. So, I kind of got choked up for a little bit.”

Coming into the game, Clark needed just seven points to get to 2,000. Head coach Lisa Bluder said she planned to call a timeout if Clark reached 2,000 points to allow fans to give her an ovation.

“It’s such a special accomplishment,” Bluder said. “And if we were playing Maryland, maybe I wouldn’t, but I just felt like this is a game that we could burn a timeout and celebrate somebody that really ought to be celebrated.”

Clark started the game distributing the ball to her teammates, scoring just two points in the first quarter and taking only two shots from the floor. From there, the junior heated up, earning a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Clark’s one pitfall on Wednesday came from her passing. While the junior dished out six assists, she turned the ball over six times as well.

“Six turnovers is not going to cut it for myself,” Clark said. “But I think as a team, 16 isn’t really a great number either.”

Big Picture

Wednesday’s game is Iowa’s final matchup before the Big Ten schedule kicks into gear on Dec. 29.

Bluder said the Hawkeyes’ 10-3 record is impressive, especially considering the schedule they’ve played.

“We know it’s going to get a lot more difficult as we go into this conference season,” Bluder said. “But, I mean, I feel pretty good where we are. The thing is, I feel optimistic that we can get better.”

Iowa spread the minutes out on Wednesday and had solid performances across the board.

Senior forward McKenna Warnock dropped 10 points on the Big Green in the first quarter and finished with 14 on the day. Fifth-year senior guard Kate Martin dished out 13 assists, and the Hawkeyes’ bench put up 31 points.

Sophomore AJ Ediger specifically stood out, shooting 5-for-7 from the floor with 10 points and four rebounds in just eight minutes.

Monika Czinano nears 2,000

All of fifth-year senior Monika Czinano’s 20 points came from the floor where the fifth-year senior shot 10-for-14 — including her first 3-point attempt of the season that went off the front iron.

“It had to be done,” Czinano said of her 3-point attempt.

The senior’s 20-point performance puts her at 1,989 career points, just 11 shy of 2,000.

“I thought to myself, ‘Nobody does that, ever,’” Czinano said. “And to be going into that and to see Caitlin accomplish it, it’s so cool, and it’s so special. Just to be here at this program doing that and being able to help the team in that way is a huge honor.”

What’s Next?

The Hawkeyes will have a weeklong break before hosting Purdue on Dec. 29. The Boilermakers are 10-2 on the year and most recently beat Texas A&M on the road.