Caitlin Clark after breaking scoring mark, beating Ohio State: 'We're not done'

The house was packed and the Iowa faithful waited with bated breath, knowing they were about to see history in the making. The way Caitlin Clark scores the basketball, it seemed all but inevitable.

Pete Maravich‘s NCAA scoring record was going down.

Sure enough, with a pair of free throws at the end of the second quarter, Clark passed the historic mark of 3,667 points. She had already become the highest scorer in women’s college basketball history. Now she owned the title outright.

But this was no coup de grace for the Iowa basketball team.

“I want to let you know, even though this is Senior Day, we aren’t done,” coach Lisa Bluder said. “We’ll be back.”

Iowa will be back in action at the Big Ten Tournament later this week. It’ll do so as one of the favorites to win it, especially after topping No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon.

You can imagine, though, how with everything Caitlin Clark has been through, it would be easy for Iowa to suffer a letdown somewhere here in the postseason.

Players nor coaches are thinking that way. In fact, they feel energized right now.

“This is always what you’re after is to always be playing your best basketball this time of year,” assistant coach Abby Stamp said. “And obviously, man, just looked outstanding at Minnesota, and then to carry that over here into Carver.

“And we’ve been fortunate to be part of a lot of really big moments, crossover, national championship, all kinds of things. But to be able to sit here and watch these seniors just out here relaxing, having a great time with their family and just showing the appreciation and the love, they’re very thankful I know for everyone that’s been such a big part of their lives. It’s really awesome to be able to witness that for them. I’m glad we certainly had the win and they were able to have that opportunity.”

Bluder sees the win over Ohio State as a potential jumping-off point for the postseason.

“It really was, it gives us momentum going into the Big Ten Tournament next week,” Bluder said. “We’ll probably see them again next Sunday, hopefully. Hopefully we will get that opportunity. But it was really amazing. I think we really needed this to propel us, just like last year when we had Indiana, who was the Big Ten champions, and beat them on our home court. So I think it was important momentum for us and against a really good team, ranked No. 2 in the country, an excellent basketball team.”

Iowa will need Caitlin Clark at her best to make another run to the national title game like a year ago. This time the Hawkeyes hope to finish it off.

There might not be a better story going in sports. Clark, signing off at Senior Day, acknowledged how thrilled she was to be a part of it all.

“I think just reflecting back over my four years I’m very grateful, starting playing in front of absolutely no one during COVID and then obviously my sophomore year we had good crowds, the curtains were down a lot of games,” Clark said. “And now it’s impossible to get a ticket to get in the door to our games.

“I think the people that have made it the most special obviously my teammates and my coaches, but it isn’t what it is without all of you, so seriously I mean that. Thank you. This is special. I don’t know if you guys realize what you’re doing for women’s basketball and women’s sports in general, but you’re changing it. You’re helping us change it. So seriously, from the bottom of my heart, from all of us, we thank you so much and I just feel really grateful to be here and have put on an Iowa jersey for four years, but like coach Bluder and Kate (Martin) said, there’s still so much fun to have, and we’re not done.”