Caitlin Clark made history by breaking the NCAA Division I record for 3-pointers in a season by a woman or man, despite a challenging shooting night. She tallied 24 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, leading No. 4 Iowa to a decisive 95-62 victory over Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.
Struggling initially, Clark missed her first 11 attempts from beyond the arc before finally sinking one in the fourth quarter, marking her 163rd 3-pointer of the season. This achievement surpassed the previous record held by Stephen Curry of Davidson (2007-08) and Darius McGhee of Liberty (2022-23).
Reflecting on her performance, Clark remarked, “I think as a shooter, sometimes you can feel it’s off, but honestly a lot of my shots I felt were right there.” Despite her shooting woes, Iowa maintained control throughout the game, leading 31-14 after the first quarter.
The Hawkeyes, seeded second, will advance to face either Indiana or Michigan in the Big Ten semifinals.
Clark’s teammates stepped up in her absence, with Sydney Affolter scoring a career-high 18 points, Gabbie Marshall adding 15, Taylor McCabe contributing 12, and Kate Martin chipping in with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Penn State, led by Leilani Kapinus and Ashley Owusu, put up a fight, but Iowa’s depth and resilience proved too much to overcome. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder praised the team’s collective effort, emphasizing the importance of players stepping up in pivotal moments.
With top-seeded Ohio State eliminated from the tournament, Iowa’s path to a second straight Big Ten Tournament title appears promising. However, Clark and her teammates remain focused, understanding the unpredictable nature of March basketball.
“Our group is veteran enough to understand how these tournaments go,” Clark noted. “We’ve been on the losing side of March Madness, and I think we know not to take anything for granted.”
