Iowa’s Clark Becomes No. 2 All-Time Scorer

Iowa’s Clark raises the bar.

Women’s college basketball superstar Caitlin Clark continues to dazzle dominate and make history with each game she plays.

The reigning consensus National Player of the Year moved up to second place on the all-time NCAA Division I women’s basketball scoring leaderboard on Wednesday night, as her No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes routed the Northwestern Wildcats, 110-74.

Clark came into the contest in fourth place on the scoring list, having passed WNBA legend Brittney Griner in January and sitting a miniscule four points behind Missouri State’s Jackie Stiles in third and 13 behind second-placed former Ohio State star Kelsey Mitchell, according to ESPN.

In yet another outstanding performance, Clark racked up 35 points, bringing her career total to 3,424, only 103 short of the all-time record held by Kelsey Plum with the Washington Huskies.
Clark, who is a native of Iowa, also became the Big Ten Conference’s all-time leading scorer in the process.

“These coaches, they put me in positions to be successful, and you know, I’ve had a lot of really good teammates in my time here – and I can’t do it without all of them,” Clark said on-court after the game. “I can’t do it without Coach [Lisa] Bluder letting me have the keys to the offense.

“It’s cool to be in the same vicinity as some of those names – a lot of people I grew up idolizing and looking up to – so definitely special for me.”

Clark also shared the ball and dished out 10 helpers, giving her a 54th career double-double, and collected six rebounds for good measure. It was also her 50th career game with at least 30 points, the most in men’s or women’s college basketball over the last quarter of a century.

The 22-year-old is projected to be selected first overall by the Indiana Fever if she chooses to forego her final year of eligibility and enter the 2024 WNBA draft. Clark has the option to remain at the college level for an additional year because of the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on prior NCAA seasons.

Sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke contributed 17 points and nine boards for Iowa, while guard Kate Martin had 16. Melannie Daley led the way for Northwestern with a team-high 19 points off the bench.

The Hawkeyes took the lead just over three minutes into the game and did not take their foot off the gas pedal from that point on.

“We came in here and got better. I love 28 assists on five turnovers, four people in double figures,” said Iowa head Coach Lisa Bluder after the game. “Caitlin becomes the all-time leading Big Ten scorer with this many games to go. I am always really proud of her.”

The Hawkeyes improve to 20-2 on the season after Wednesday’s road victory as they work toward a back-to-back national championship appearance. Bluder’s side will be looking to improve on last year’s result, having fallen at the final hurdle against the LSU Tigers, 102-85, in 2023.