Iowa star Caitlin Clark broke into rarified air on Wednesday.
With her 24th point against rival Iowa State, she crossed the 3,000-point mark for her career. In doing so, she became the 15th player in D-I women's history to pass the 3,000-point barrier. The sharpshooter appropriately did so with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that extended Iowa's lead to 43-39 in a 67-58 Hawkeyes win.
The moment Caitlin Clark joined the 3K club 😤
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 7, 2023
(via @CBSSportsCBB)pic.twitter.com/HFhoWoWluG
The long-distance shot put her at 3,002 career points. She finished the game with 35 points, nine rebounds and five assists. She's now the only player ever with 3,000-plus points, 750-plus rebounds and 750-plus assists.
With the milestone in her pocket, Clark now eyes the NCAA women's all-time scoring record held by Kelsey Plum. The Las Vegas Aces All-Star left Washington in 2017 with 3,527 career points. Clark entered the 2023-24 season with 2,717 total points, an average of 906.7 points per season over three seasons. She cut that 810-point margin to 514 Wednesday night, leaving her on pace for the record.
She'll have the option to return for a fifth season next year. But that's far from likely as she's projected as the almost certain No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.
The moment Wednesday was all business for Clark. She got a standing ovation from the Iowa fans in attendance at the Iowa State home game. She then took a seat on the bench with her teammates during a timeout before returning to the court without fanfare.
The stakes are high for Clark this season. In addition to seeking the scoring record, she hopes to lead the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes to an NCAA title after a run to the championship game last season.
