IOWA CITY, Iowa — Caitlin Clark made history Thursday night, becoming the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball history.
Clark and her fellow Hawkeyes were in the first quarter of a game against Michigan at Carver-Hawkeye Arena when Clark, almost too precisely, drained a three-pointer from well beyond the three-point arc. She started the game 3-for-3 with two 3-pointers.
The West Des Moines native only needed to score eight points Thursday to pass Kelsey Plum as the NCAA women's scoring leader. Plum set the previous record of 3,527 points while playing for the Washington Huskies from 2013-2017.
Clark was already the career leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference, having beat that record on Jan. 31 when she scored 14 points against Northwestern. The most recent record is just the cherry on top of a mountain of accolades for Clark.
The celebratory atmosphere at the arena on Thursday stood in stark contrast to Iowa's last game when Nebraska rallied to defeat the Hawkeyes 82-79. Clark had a strong start to the game, scoring 31 points, but was ultimately shut out in the fourth quarter.
Despite the recent loss, anticipation was high in Iowa City as fans prepared to witness Clark's record-breaking shot. Ticket prices skyrocketed in the days leading up to the game, with the average ticket price coming in at $394, according to TickPick.
Watch the record-setting shot
With Clark's ongoing success and celebrity status, the inevitable question is: what's next?
Clark is eligible to return to Iowa for a fifth season due to COVID-19 eligibility guidelines. However, it is still unclear whether or not Clark will come back to the Hawkeyes, or if she will pursue a career in the WNBA.
Currently, Clark is projected as the top pick in many WNBA mock drafts. The Indiana Fever hold the first overall pick, meaning Clark could join former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston in Indianapolis.
But there's still the rest of the season to consider: Clark is averaging 32 points a game this season. With four games left in the regular season, that's almost 130 points she could tack onto her record.
The Hawkeyes will play their final home game this season against No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday, March 3 before heading on to the Big Ten Conference Tournament.