Caitlin Clark becomes NCAA women's all-time leading scorer
Clark is on pace to surpass Pete Maravich for the most points in both men's and women's Division I history
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arguably the greatest women's college basketball player of all time has cemented her legacy.
Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark became the NCAA women's all-time leading scorer Thursday night against Michigan.
Clark needed just eight points to break the record, and they were probably the easiest eight points of her life.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She did so by knocking down each of her first three field goals. But the way she broke the record was a sight to be seen.
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Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates after the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 77-73 during the 2023 NCAA Tournament Final Four at American Airlines Center March 31, 2023, in Dallas. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Clark pulled up for what seemed like a prayer, but for her it was just another shot. It was nothing but net, and she surpassed Kelsey Plum's 3,527 points at Washington from 2013 to 2017.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clark's first eight points were the first points Iowa scored in the game.
As per Clark's wishes, the game was not stopped when Michigan gained possession after the shot. But with the crowd standing and roaring, Iowa called a timeout when it got the ball back to recognize Clark's achievement.
It was just a preview for the senior. She scored 23 points in the first quarter, hitting eight of her 10 shots (5-for-7 from 3-point range).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clark may now have another record on her mind, the all-time NCAA points record for both men and women.
She's in third place, behind Antoine Davis (3,664) and "Pistol" Pete Maravich (3,667) and is on pace to surpass Maravich March 3 in Iowa's regular-season finale against No. 2 Ohio State.
For Clark, it's a matter of when, not if, she'll break that record. After Iowa's final five regular-season games, the Hawkeyes will compete in the Big Ten tournament. Then, they'll play in the NCAA tournament.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ticket prices for Thursday’s game skyrocketed. The Associated Press reported the average ticket price was at $394 on TickPick.
Caitlin Clark (22) of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates in the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Spectrum Center Nov. 9, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
While breaking the record quantifies Clark’s mark on the women’s game, her true influence was felt during last year’s March Madness run.
After snapping South Carolina’s 42-game winning streak in the semifinals, Iowa’s matchup with LSU was the most viewed women’s college basketball game on record, with 9.9 million viewers tuning in, according to ESPN.
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Before Clark's senior season, Iowa paused the selling of season tickets for the 2023-24 season with demand through the roof, according to The Des Moines Register.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates with teammates after a game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., Jan. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clark had 31 points through three quarters Saturday in her first quest to break the women's record but went scoreless in the fourth.
Fox News' Joe Morgan, Chantz Martin, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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