Another Milestone Moment for caitlin Clark

Even on her off nights, Caitlin Clark continues to rewrite the record books at the NCAA.

She had previously tied the record for the most 3-point field goals made in an NCAA season (162) with former Davidson player and Golden State Warriors hero Stephen Curry and former Liberty guard Darius McGhee.

Only one 3-pointer separated Clark and Iowa’s Big Ten tournament quarterfinal showdown against Penn State, the seventh-seeded team, on Friday, and that came in the fourth quarter. She finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in the 95-62 victory, while shooting an unusual 5-of-19 from the field and 2-of-14 from three.

Midway through the first quarter, she attempted her first shot of the game and missed a three, but she quickly converted two free throws for her first four points of the game. From that point on, Clark passed the ball quickly to her teammates, continuing her habit of putting Iowa’s success and her teammates’ success first when it mattered most.

To her credit, however, and perhaps in light of the situation, Clark missed 11 3-pointers and turned the ball over twice before she could set the record. This speaks well of the Nittany Lions’ defense. She didn’t score a field goal until she scored a deep 2-pointer with less than four minutes remaining in the second quarter to give Iowa its first points.

In front of a jubilant audience, she made the historic shot with eight minutes remaining in the fourth. Her face briefly lit up with relief, then she raised her hands to join in the applause.

This season, “The Clark Effect” has increased attendance and viewership to an unprecedented level, which is why the women’s Big Ten Tournament at the Target Center in Minneapolis was completely sold out for the first time ever. For the five days of the event, more than 109,000 fans purchased tickets.

Curry considered how much had changed since he drew large groups of media and supporters to Davidson’s games in 2008 when he was questioned about Clark’s fame.

Curry remarked, “I couldn’t imagine what it’s like now,” according to The Athletic. “Mine was before to Twitter’s official launch. Instagram was not available to me until my junior year of college. Thus, the social media component alone makes it even more bizarre.

The initial tip-off was quiet until an audible “Caitlin Clark, Caitlin Clark, Caitlin Clark” broke the silence, making it obvious who was drawing the crowd on Friday.

Many of those supporters had been waiting hours before Clark took the court and were now enjoying a moment they had eagerly anticipated.

Since the Big Ten Tournament is a single-elimination tournament, Clark’s conference game on Friday might be his final one as a student-athlete. After the Hawkeyes led 46–26 at the half, there was little reason for fear over that.

Clark plans to take her skills to the WNBA whenever her incredible run in the NCAA comes to an end. On February 29, she made her decision to forgo her fifth year at Iowa public through a social media post.

In her final regular-season collegiate game, on March 3, she broke LSU great Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring mark with 35 points, days after Clark revealed her plans to play in the NBA. Iowa defeated Ohio State 93-83.

In the previous year’s NCAA tournament, Clark also set a few records. With 25, she now owns the record for the most 3-pointers made in a single tournament. In the loss to LSU, she also broke the record for the most 3-pointers made in a national championship, with eight made.

When March Madness kicks off later this month, she and Iowa will try to make it back to the championship game. March 17 is Selection Sunday. The Big Ten tournament continues with the semifinals on Saturday and the championship game on Sunday. However, the Hawkeyes’ primary goal is to win the tournament.