Getty Image
Caitlin Clark is the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, notching 3,951 points over a four-year career. The guard attained that feat by surpassing Kelsey Plum’s 3,527-point total on the women’s side earlier this season.
She then unseated Pete Maravich’s mark to become the record holder for both the men’s and women’s circuits.
But ahead of Clark’s national championship matchup with South Carolina, there was some blowback on that scoring champ title from a college basketball Hall of Famer.
Lynette Woodard, a former Kansas Jayhawk, totaled 3,650 career points after averaging 29 points a night across four seasons. That accomplishment came before women’s basketball was considered a part of the NCAA, which she says caused her record to “be hidden for 43 years.”
It also came prior to the introduction of the three-point line, which makes it an apples to oranges comparison in her eyes. Woodard was heard taking a jab at Caitlin Clark while speaking at the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association convention in Cleveland over the weekend.
“I’ll just go ahead and get the elephant out of the room,” she began. “I don’t think my record has been broken because you can’t duplicate what you’re not duplicating. Unless you come with a men’s basketball and a two-point shot.”
@chrystalstone402 Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard says her all-time scoring record has NOT been broken by Caitlin Clark #caitlinclark #lynettewoodard #ncaabasketball #collegebasketball #womenscollegebasketball #wfinalfour #finalfour #marchmadness ♬ original sound – Chrystal Stone402
Pistol Pete Maravich’s son had a similar response after seeing Clark surpass his father’s mark earlier this season.
“They are two totally different records…”
Both the three-point shot and the fact that he played just three seasons at the varsity level contributed to that thinking. Lynette Woodard took the same stance.
But after seeing her comments go viral on Sunday, Woodard backed off her initial quip.
In a response on Instagram, the former Jayhawk addressed the jab while changing tune about Caitlin Clark’s supposedly fraudulent scoring mark.
“To clarify my remarks made at an awards ceremony on Saturday, no one respects Caitlin Clark’s accomplishments more than I do. This is why I accepted Iowa’s invitation to participate in Caitlin’s senior day. My message was: A lot has changed, on and off the court, which makes it difficult to compare statistical accomplishments from different eras. Each is a snapshot in time.
“Caitlin holds the scoring record.
“I salute her and will be cheering for her throughout the rest of her career.”
View this post on Instagram
Caitlin Clark is the statistical scoring champ, no matter what anyone has to say about time and place. She again shined in her final collegiate game, scoring 30 points and setting an NCAA Championship Game record in the process.
Unfortunately, Iowa fell to South Carolina as she came up just shy of a national title for the second straight season.