Caitlin Clark wasn’t satisfied with breaking just one record.
During the Iowa women’s basketball game against the Michigan Wolverines in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Clark needed just eight points to pass Kelsey Plum as the leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball history. The star guard would do so in spectacular fashion, scoring a career-high 49-points and breaking the arena scoring record, which was set a week prior by forward Hannah Stuelke.
“[Hannah] said she passed the torch to me,” Clark joked during the post-game press conference of Iowa’s 106-89 win over Michigan. “How kind of you, Hannah.”
After breaking Plum’s record roughly two minutes into the first quarter, Clark didn’t take her foot off the pedal, tacking onto her record by ending the quarter with 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
Clark said she knew she needed to start fast this game after coming off a 79-82 loss to Nebraska, in which Clark was held scoreless in the fourth quarter on six attempts.
“Warming up my shot just felt good, so I knew it was going to be kind of one of those nights, and I kind of played with a little bit more pep in my step,” Clark said.
Clark’s third shooting attempt of the game — a signature three-pointer from the logo — was the one to set her over the mark. The hot hand continued throughout the first as she went 5-of-7 from beyond the three-point line.
“As a shooter, like the ball just comes off your hand a little better some nights than others, and when you start to make a couple shots, it’s a green light to get another one up,” she said.
She finished the game going 9-of-18 from three. During a game where all the national spotlight is on No. 22, Clark also got her teammates involved, dishing 13 assists and recording her 15th double-double this season.
Clark can add achieving over 1,000 to her list of accolades as well, as after Thursday’s game, she sits at 1,018 career assists. Head coach Lisa Bluder said Clark’s passing abilities get downplayed due to her exciting style of play.
“Her assists are incredible, and that’s what makes her such a special player,” Bluder said. “Everyone on the team loves her, and they know how hard she works and what she brings to our team.”
Clark reiterated her gratitude for her teammates throughout the press conference and after the game while addressing the sell-out crowd in the middle of the court.
“[Kate Martin], [Gabbie Marshall] and [Molly Davis] have given so much to this program. They don’t always get the light shining on them, and they should because I’m nowhere without those three,” Clark said.
Clark said she can go forward into the rest of the season solely focusing on Iowa continuing to win games now that she has accomplished the record.
“We’re getting into the best part of basketball season,” she said. “These are the times where teams show who they really are, and I always believe coach Bluder has us playing our best basketball at the end of February and beginning of March.”
