Caitlin Clark shines in record-breaking performance as Iowa beats Ohio State
It was just your average day for Caitlin Clark.
It started with a surprise visit from childhood idol Maya Moore, continued with her breaking Pete Maravich’s all-time Division I college basketball scoring record, and ended with No. 6 Iowa beating No. 2 Ohio State 93-83 on Senior Day.
Just an average Sunday afternoon, right? It’s just been that kind of season for Iowa’s superstar guard.
Clark entered Sunday’s showdown with the Buckeyes needing 18 points to pass Pistol Pete in the record books. At the end of the second quarter, she overtook him on a pair of free throws after a technical foul, which now means Clark leads all men and women with the most points scored in NCAA basketball history.
“Pretty cool,” Clark told the FOX Sports broadcast at halftime, before going into all the things the Hawkeyes needed to do to stay ahead in the second half and pull off the win.
In the moment, Clark said she didn’t realize she had surpassed Maravich until she heard the sold out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena roar. Included in the more than 15,000 fans who traveled to Iowa City to witness this history? Moore, who was sitting courtside, rapper Travis Scott, and Kansas great Lynette Woodard, the AIAW career scoring leader who put up 3,649 points during her college career and was passed by Clark last week.
“It’s just a great time in women’s basketball,” Woodard told the broadcast. “Caitlin is leading the way. As she was chipping away [at my record], I said, records are made to be broken. And also, they’re meant to be honored.”
The last time these teams met on Jan. 21, Ohio State snapped Iowa’s 15-game winning streak; this time, the Hawkeyes’ snapped the Buckeyes’ 15-game winning streak. Ohio State will still be the No. 1 seed in next week’s Big Ten Tournament after clinching the regular-season title last week, and Iowa will be the No. 2 seed.
Sunday’s game was fast-paced, chippy and potentially a preview of what the conference tournament title game could look like in one week.
Here are some quick takeaways from Sunday’s game:
Play of the game:
Clark breaking Pistol Pete’s record, which she did on two free throws at the end of the second quarter.
It might not have been a logo 3 like she shot to break Kelsey Plum’s mark on Feb. 15, but it was a remarkable moment nonetheless that caused the arena to erupt with joy.
“This is just electrifying,” Woodard told the broadcast. “This crowd is amazing. Not only are they here to cheer, but they know the game. They’re refs too. It’s just beautiful to watch. What they’ve done here at the University of Iowa has transcended the game. Every walk of life, everybody knows Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa and what she’s done and deserves.”
Clark announced Thursday that she would be turning pro after the season, which she hopes doesn’t end until Iowa is hoisting the national championship trophy. Regardless, she’s expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on April 15.
The Indiana Fever have the first pick, and were definitely tuning into Sunday’s game.
In her final regular-season game at home, Clark tallied 35 points, nine assists and six rebounds. She has now scored a grand total of 3,685 points in her career and still has more games to play in both the upcoming Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.
Turning point:
Things got a little too close for the Hawkeyes late in the third quarter when they held a narrow 58-53 lead with 4:32 remaining. Iowa used a 15-3 run to take control, which included four points, two assists and a steal by Clark.
Heading into the fourth, Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said “we’re gonna stay mission focused” to close out the day with a win. In their last meeting, a similar scenario occurred where Iowa had the lead, but Ohio State came back to win. Bluder said her team wasn’t distracted by another Clark milestone and said they were “locked in and ready to go.”
She was right.
‘We’re going to keep mission focused’ — Lisa Bluder on Iowa’s adjustments heading into the fourth quarter
Key Stat:
Despite making 14 3-pointers – which is double the amount the team usually hits per game (7.4) – Ohio State still couldn’t pull off a road win.
What’s next for Iowa?
The Big Ten Tournament begins on Wednesday, and with a win over the Buckeyes, the Hawkeyes earned the No. 2 seed and will receive a double bye before playing their first game in Friday’s quarterfinal.
Unfortunately for Iowa, it will head into the postseason without senior guard Molly Davis, who suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and had to be carried off the court. This is a significant blow to the Hawkeyes as they try to win Big Ten and NCAA championships because Davis rarely sat on the bench and was second on the team (behind Clark) in assists.
What’s next for Ohio State?
The loss isn’t super significant for the Buckeyes, who clinched their league-leading 16th Big Ten regular-season title last week. They will be the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament and, like the Hawkeyes, have earned a double bye and won’t play again until Friday.
Read more:
- Caitlin Clark breaks all-time NCAA scoring record, passing Pete Maravich
- Iowa standout Caitlin Clark declares for 2024 WNBA Draft
- Caitlin Clark moves past Lynette Woodard for major college women’s scoring record
- ‘It’s unimaginable’: Caitlin Clark’s historic night and its impact on women’s sports
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
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