BREAKING: Caitlin Clark breaks the NCAA all-time scoring record
It’s time to rewrite the record books. The quest is over and there’s a new NCAA women’s basketball all-time leading scorer. After weeks and months of following the chase for 3,528 points, Caitlin Clark has passed former Washington guard Kelsey Plum for the top spot. She accomplished the feat in just 126 games, which is 13 less than the 139 games it took Plum to reach the previous record point total.
“I’m excited. It’s going to be a very special night,” said Caitlin at Wednesday’s media availability. “My main focus, honestly, is going out there and having a blast with my teammates and enjoying it…I’m not anxious about it, I’m just very excited.”
Clark came into the night needing just eight points to pass Plum for the record, which had the sold out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on their edge of their seats from the opening tip. Fortunately, for the home fans, Caitlin wasted no time getting to the eight point mark. She got to the hoop on the first possession of the game and then knocked down a three-pointer on the second possession to put her within three points of the record. Two possessions later off of a miss from Michigan, Clark came down the floor and let one fly from the middle of the Mediacom logo. It hit the bottom of the net setting off an ear splitting roar from over 15,000 fans. Record broken. A new #1 on the NCAA all-time scoring list. Caitlin Clark.
Back on February 25th of 2017, Kelsey Plum broke the previous scoring record held by former Missouri State guard Jackie Stiles. Plum put up a career-high 57 points to break the record in an 84-77 win over Utah on Washington’s Senior Night.
“I don’t remember watching it. She scored 57 points, so I’m not sure a lot of people were expecting her to break it that night,” said Clark. “The thing about her, she could score the ball at all three levels. She was really good. I loved watching Washington. I feel like Kelsey is a little bit similar to the way I am. She wanted to go to Washington and take them to a Final Four and she did.”
Kelsey Plum recently spoke about her chase for the scoring record back in 2017, saying that it was one of the lowest points of her career. She said there was a lot of pressure and that she felt like her identity was being caught up in the record. Caitlin says she has not carried the same feeling throughout the record chase this season.
“I haven’t really felt that at all and I get what Kelsey is getting at and I have so much respect for her and she’s reached out and been very supportive through all of this,” said Clark. “I think that’s so cool, to have somebody that I grew up idolizing support me so much.”
“This is the time of her life. She’s enjoying every minute of it,” said Lisa Bluder after the Hawkeyes recent win over Penn State. “There has been no burden to Caitlin with this. I’ve said she’s just busting it down. It’s no burden. She’s having fun with it and I credit her maturity so much for that.”
The Iowa faithful have sold out every single one of the Hawkeyes home games this season, while the team has faced sold out crowds in road games against Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Purdue, Ohio State, Northwestern and Maryland. Fans in Evanston started lining up as early as 10:30am to ensure front row seats. Caitlin Clark recently spoke about her chase for the scoring record and playing in front of sold out crowds night in and night out.
“As my career has unfolded, I don’t feel much pressure coming into these games. The more people the more calm I am,” said Clark. “I’m just really grateful and I try to take it all in and enjoy every second.”
“I think it shows what people are willing to give to be able to watch our team play and I know how excited people are (to see us),” said Clark. “Anytime we step on the floor, whether it’s at home or it’s on the road, people spend a lot of time and money to get to a place to watch us, so I always want to take time and sign a couple of autographs and play the best I can because not many people get the chance to come see us.”
As Caitlin has climbed the scoring list from outside the top 25 all the way to #1 this season, it seemed like every other game she was passing up another legend from the women’s game. Many of them are ones that she watched growing up as a kid from West Des Moines that loved the game of basketball.
“I think the coolest thing is the names that I get to be around. Those people that I grew up watching, especially Kelsey Plum, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Mitchell, those are really great players,” said Clark after their win over Northwestern where she moved to 2nd on the all-time list. “It’s just special for me to be in the same area as them.”
As for the legacy that she will leave as a player at the college level? Her head coach Lisa Bluder believes that people will remember her for the uniqueness of her game, not only her scoring, but her passing, and how she helped elevate the sport.
“Her legacy? I think people are going to remember her not only for her scoring, but her passing. She has almost reached 1,000 assists. There’s only five players that have accomplished that,” said Bluder. “I think that the specialness of the way she scores, the logo threes, people are going to remember that. It’s unique. People will remember how she elevated our game and how she has been a role model for all of these kids that love to watch her play.”
