Caitlin Clark scores 33, breaks 3-point record, gets a triple-double and closes in on scoring mark, as Iowa beats Minnesota 108-60
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark became the all-time leading women’s scorer in major college basketball by scoring 33 points to pass Lynette Woodard and post her 17th career triple-double for sixth-ranked Iowa in a 108-60 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night.
“We just played free and had a lot of fun tonight across the board,” said Clark, who also broke the NCAA single-season record by sinking eight 3-pointers for a total of 156 in 2023-24.
Clark now has 3,650 career points. Woodard had 3,649 points for Kansas from 1977-81, before the NCAA sanctioned the sport. Earlier this month, Clark broke Kelsey Plum’s NCAA scoring record (3,527 points).
“Tonight is the night of the real record,” coach Lisa Bluder said.
Gabbie Marshall scored 16 points to pass the career 1,000-point mark for the Hawkeyes (25-4, 14-3), who were eliminated from contention for the Big Ten regular season title earlier in the evening when second-ranked Ohio State beat Michigan. Iowa went 22 for 39 as a team from 3-point range, the most ever allowed by Minnesota and the most makes in Hawkeyes program history.
Clark had a big hand in that, both shooting and distributing. She had 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
“I love passing the ball and setting my teammates up for success, and I think that more than anything is going to let us have a lot of success in March,” Clark said. “It can’t just be me all the time.”
Amaya Battle had 18 points for the Gophers (15-13, 5-12) on a tough night of trying to guard the reigning AP Player of the Year, who went 8 for 14 from 3-point range to delight the Hawkeyes-heavy crowd announced at Williams Arena’s official capacity of 14,625. This was the 11th sellout in 11 true road games this season for Clark and her crew and tied for the biggest at home in Gophers program history.
Clark left little doubt she’d reach Woodard’s record by dribbling left off a screen and swishing a 3-pointer from the top of the key just 13 seconds into the game. She swished her first four 3-pointers, three of them from extra deep, and had 15 points in the first 3:18 of the game.
The heat check came midway through the first quarter, a flick from the top that bounced off the back rim and prompted a half-hearted “Overrated!” chant from a few wise guys in the Minnesota student section.
Clark had five assists in the third quarter and passed up several opportunities to shoot in the second half in favor of finding her teammates. She only needed three points to pass Woodard starting the fourth quarter, but as the clock ticked down the reserves were off the bench and ready to enter the game.
“I was going to let her get the record,” Bluder said.
With 4:16 left, Clark let a 3-pointer fly from the wing — for a swish and the record. She was subbed out 30 seconds later.
The previous biggest crowd for a Gophers game this season was on Nov. 19 against Connecticut with star Paige Bueckers, a native of Minnesota, that drew 10,869 fans. That’s the only other home attendance figure for the Gophers in 2023-24 greater than 6,000.
UP NEXT
Iowa: Hosts No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday. The Hawkeyes are tied with Indiana for second place and would win the tiebreaker over the Hoosiers for the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament next week if they beat the Buckeyes. Indiana wraps up the regular season against Maryland on Sunday.
Minnesota: Plays at Penn State on Sunday.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) walks off the court after an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)