With just under 30 seconds left in the third quarter, Caitlin Clark took two steps over half court and launched a 35-footer. The spot she shot it from? Right behind her “22” marking where she broke the NCAA all-time scoring record.
And, of course, it was all net. The shot was a pregame thought, but it wasn’t planned. It just happened.
“I didn’t plan to shoot that logo three,” Clark said postgame. “But I was like, ‘Why not? Might as well launch one’ … Had to give the fans a little something.”
She was subbed out of the game and never returned after that. All of Iowa City got the most of the Caitlin Clark show, and her iconic logo three was the encore to her 16-point performance.
“These are the moments that you never take for granted, and you kind of just want to stay in for forever,” she said.
Sunday afternoon was a full-blown celebration of a generational athlete. The whole town was colored in red, yellow, and white, and No. 22 fit the backs of all. Families were posted in the parking lot four hours before tipoff. The stands were filled up 45 minutes ahead of game time.
Every minute that inched closer to 3 p.m. felt like an eternity, but the fans wasted no time showering Clark with love, cheering when she ran onto the floor and every time she was put on the jumbotron.
And her starting lineup intro recorded 116 decibels — the PA announcer muted by all 15,000 fans screaming at the top of their lungs.
“I thought it was electric. It’s what you’ve seen, whether it’s from the outside, on television or being here broadcasting,” said Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White. “But to actually feel the energy … It gives you a lift. It gives you a boost. It’s why we all do what we do.”
The game started exactly how it should’ve — Clark receiving a standing ovation on her first touch, coming off a screen, and hitting a contested three to bring the crowd to its feet. It was the start to a loud first quarter that saw her drop a few dimes and hit a step-back buzzer beating three.
From then on, she took a step back with the occasional bucket and assist every now and then — that was until her late third quarter bomb. The attention she drew, however, allowed her teammates to feast.
“Her ability to move the ball, to make the right read and the right play, she can stretch the floor, but everybody’s focused on her coverage, right?” White said. “And so oftentimes she’s going to get two and three defenders that have their eyes on her, so it’s going to open up things for everybody else”
The Fever went on to take down the Brazilian National Team, 108-44, with seven players scoring at least nine points. The game was a blowout from the beginning, but it was the experience that made it unforgettable.
“I think it’s hard to put into words what exactly it means to me,” Clark said. “It’s almost overwhelming to the point like, I’m just very, very thankful to be able to come back to a place that continues to support me.”