IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa star Caitlin Clark became the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader on Sunday, breaking the late Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record when she made two free throws after a technical foul was called in the No. 6 Hawkeyes’ game against No. 2 Ohio State.
Clark entered the game in Iowa City needing 18 points to pass Maravich’s total of 3,667, amassed in just 83 games over three seasons at LSU (1967-70).
In the video above, Caitlin Clark discusses breaking the NCAA women’s career scoring record.
Clark’s record-setting points Sunday came in improbable fashion. Best known for her long 3-point shots, she instead went past Maravich after Ohio State was called for a technical foul with less than a second to go in the first half.
Clark swished both free throws to run her career total to 3,668 points; she had no immediate reaction after the second shot went through, as if it hadn’t sunk in yet.
Asked in a television interview at halftime if she was aware of the record when she stepped to the line, Clark said: “Not really. When they announced it and everybody screamed, that’s when I knew.”
Clark got off to a slow start. Her first shot was a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim. She missed a layup and from deep on the right wing before making a 3 from the left side for her first basket.
After starting 2 for 7, she made 3 of her next 4 shots — including three straight 3-pointers, each deeper than the previous.
Woodard was among the attendees at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to help Clark celebrate senior day. Also on hand were basketball great Maya Moore, who was Clark’s favorite player, and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke, left, celebrates with teammate guard Caitlin Clark, right, at the end of an NCAA college basketball game against Penn State, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 111-93. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark signs autographs after an NCAA college basketball game against Penn State, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 111-93. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Fans wait to get an autograph from Iowa guard Caitlin Clark after an NCAA college basketball game between Iowa and Penn State, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 111-93. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
FILE – Former Kansas basketball All-American Lynette Woodard, left, announces her retirement from the WNBA at a news conference with Kansas basketball coach Marian Washington, right, Wednesday, May 26, 1999, in Lawrence, Kan. Woodard holds the women’s major college basketball record with 3,649 points from 1978-81, before the NCAA took over women’s sports from the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
Kim Malone, of Omaha, Neb., carries a sign encouraging Iowa’s Caitlin Clark to set the NCAA college women’s basketball career scoring record when Clark’s team plays Nebraska, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Clark entered the game needing 39 points for the record. Malone showed up four hours before tipoff along with hundreds of other fans. (AP Photo/Eric Olson)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) smiles after breaking the NCAA women’s career scoring record during the first half of the team’s college basketball game against Michigan, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives against Michigan guard Laila Phelia during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) grabs a loose ball under pressure from Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Cliff Jette)
FILE – Iowa’s Caitlin Clark gets past a South Carolina’s defender during the second half of an NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal basketball game Friday, March 31, 2023, in Dallas. Clark needs 66 more points to break the NCAA career record of 3,527 by Washington’s Kelsey Plum (2013-17). The Hawkeyes play Penn State at home on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. With an average of 32.4 points per game, Clark is on track to break the record at Nebraska on Sunday or Feb. 15 at home against Michigan.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE – Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductee Pearl Moore speaks at a news conference at Mohegan Sun, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. Long before Iowa star Caitlin Clark hit her first long-range three or signed her first autograph, Hall of Famer Pearl Moore had already set the scoring standard for women’s basketball. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) stands with teammate after being presented with a commemorative basketball after the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Michigan, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Clark broke the NCAA women’s career scoring record. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa coach Lisa Bluder and associate head coach Jan Jensen congratulate Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Michigan, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) and head coach Lisa Bluder high-five during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Minnesota, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
FILE – Louisiana State’s Pete “Pistol” Maravich (23) flies through the air during record breaking performance against Mississippi in Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 1, 1970, to become college basketball’s leading scorer of all-time. At right is University of Mississippi’s Tom Butler (42) and at left are LSU’s Danny Hester (35) and Bill Newton (43). Those who played with, followed or knew the late Maravich are conflicted about the seemingly inevitable moment — likely this Sunday — when he could be supplanted by Iowa women’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark atop the NCAA’s all-time scoring list. (AP Photo/File)
FILE – Pete Maravich leans on his trophy and jokes with newsmen in Atlanta, March 26, 1970, after being named college basketball’s player of the year. Those who played with, followed or knew the late Maravich are conflicted about the seemingly inevitable moment — likely this Sunday — when he could be supplanted by Iowa women’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark atop the NCAA’s all-time scoring list.(AP Photo/File)
On Thursday, Clark announced she would enter the 2024 WNBA draft and skip the fifth year of eligibility available to athletes who competed during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever, and the WNBA already is seeing a rise in ticket sales.
Logitix, which researches prices on ticket resale platforms, reported an average sale price of $598 for a ticket to this game purchased since Feb. 1.
“Listen, this is the greatest ticket on the planet right now,” Woodard said in an interview with ESPN before the game. “Hey, I’m going to enjoy this right now.”
Clark is all but assured of one or two more appearances at the arena in Iowa City after Sunday. Iowa is projected to be a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament, meaning it would be at home for the first two rounds.
Pearl Moore of Francis Marion owns the overall women’s record with 4,061 points from 1975-79 at the small-college level in the AIAW. Moore had 177 points at Anderson Junior College before enrolling at Francis Marion.
Clark was 393 behind Moore as of halftime Sunday, and she has only three to 10 more games left in an Iowa uniform depending on how far the Hawkeyes advance in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Maravich’s all-time scoring mark is one of the more remarkable in sports history. There was no shot clock or 3-point line in his era. The 3-point line was adopted in 1986.
Maravich averaged 44.2 points per game. He scored more than 60 in a game four times, topping out at 69 against Alabama on Feb. 7, 1970.
Clark averages 28.3 points for her career and was playing in her 130th game Sunday. Her career-best output was 49 points against Michigan on Feb. 15, when she passed Kelsey Plum as the NCAA women’s Division I career scoring leader.
Clark has 54 games with at least 30 points, the most of any player in men’s or women’s college basketball over the last 25 years. She has six triple-doubles this season and 17 in her career.
“What Caitlin’s done has been amazing. She’s a fantastic player, great for the women’s game and basketball in general,” Maravich’s eldest son, Jaeson told The Associated Press last week.