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Caitlin Clark made women’s basketball history on Thursday, setting the all-time scoring record against Michigan. While it represented a monumental moment in the sport, she wouldn’t be bothered with any in-game praise.
She was too busy figuring out how to fix Iowa’s leaky defense! In true Caitlin Clark fashion, she brushed aside the spotlight and put the focus on her team.
The senior broke Kelsey Plum’s mark of 3,527 points early on in that matchup against the Wolverines. In the first quarter of action, Clark drilled a logo three to land the title – because of course she did!
HISTORY ‼️ Caitlin Clark is the new NCAA Women’s Basketball’s All-Time Leading Scorer. 🐐#CaitlinCoverage x @statefarm
💻: PeacockI pic.twitter.com/c2Kdej2gIR
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 16, 2024
Clark was asked by a sideline reporter about that historic feat at the halftime break.
She did NOT want to hear any congratulations!
Instead, she deflected attention to the team, praising her teammates while also blasting the Hawkeyes’ defensive performance.
“It’s cool to be in the same realm as a lot of really, really great players,” she said in the interview. “I’m lucky to do it because I have really great teammates, really good coaches, and a great support system that surrounds me… but we need to play better defense!”
Caitlin Clark reacts to her historic achievement.@bigten | @IowaWBB pic.twitter.com/Vk7ZQjKhn5
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 16, 2024
Michigan scored 41 first half points on the Hawkeyes, meaning Clark and Co. needed to do their part on the offensive side of the ball. And they would!
Caitlin Clark scored 49 points on the night.
That first-quarter shot gave her the title, but she was far from done. In the best offensive performance of her Iowa tenure, she notched a career-high in points to help the Hawkeyes leave with a 106-89 win.
Twenty-three of those points came in the first quarter as she was lights out early on.
She’d add 26 more over the next three quarters to help Iowa notch its eighth triple-digit output of the season.
With the win, the Hawkeyes improved to 23-3 on the season as they eye another national championship appearance.