Caitlin Clark reacts to 'unreal' scene on record-breaking night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

As has been the case this year, Iowa played in front of a sold-out crowd as Caitlin Clark pursued history. She entered Thursday night just eight points away from becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, and the anticipation was building throughout the week she set out to pass Kelsey Plum.

It took her all of two minutes and 12 seconds to do so. And she didn’t stop there.

Clark poured in 49 points to lead Iowa to a 106-89 victory over Michigan – setting an Iowa single-game record. The fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena planned on seeing some history, and ticket prices soared ahead of tip-off. They watched as Clark broke not one, but two records in the span of one 40-minute basketball game.

It made for quite a scene, and Clark made sure to enjoy it all.

“It’s pretty unreal,” Clark told Peacock’s Caroline Pineda after the game. “This crowd’s unreal. I’m just really grateful, honestly, to be able to be here and make so many of my dreams come true with so many amazing people that have supported me – whether it’s my coaches, my teammates, my family. I’m just filled with a lot of gratitude.”

Clark had an opportunity to break the record over the weekend when Iowa headed to Nebraska. She scored 31 points in three quarters, but the Cornhuskers held her scoreless in the fourth as they pulled off a come-from-behind upset victory.

The game put a bad taste in the Hawkeyes’ mouths. But for Clark, it meant she had the opportunity to pass Plum in front of her hometown fans. That, she said, made it even more meaningful.

“It’s so special,” Clark said. “These fans deserve it. They’ve supported me since I stepped on campus. We had big dreams and big aspirations, and we achieved a lot. But we’re not done. We’re still looking for a little more, and I’m proud of our group. I thought we came out and battled well. Michigan played well. They made some tough shots, but I thought we responded well and closed out the win.”

Caitlin Clark continues to play a crucial role in the growth of women’s basketball

Clark has built a high profile throughout her college career, and she’s become arguably the face of college basketball as she became the top scorer in NCAA history. Fans packed both home and away games to watch her play, and viewership has skyrocketed as she neared the scoring record.

At long last, Clark achieved what many expected she would Thursday night. To head coach Lisa Bluder, it’s just the latest landmark moment in the growth of the game.

“She picked a great night to do it,” Bluder said. “We’re gonna celebrate Caitlin tonight because she deserves it. What she’s done to uplift our program and women’s basketball nationally is spectacular. I love that she hit a logo three to put her over the top, too.”

After Clark set the record, Nike posted a tribute to her on social media as part of her NIL deal with the company. Then, once the buzzer sounded, her teammates wore shirts with the tagline – “You break it, you own it” – as well as her name and number on the back.

Throughout her career, Clark has deflected credit to her teammates as she hit milestone after milestone. Their response to her big night further showed the bond they share.

“They’re the cutest,” Clark said. “I’m so lucky to be surrounded by people that support me and want me to be the best every single day. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be Caitlin Clark. They’re just as much a part of it as I am, and I seriously love them to death. Like I said earlier, I’d run through a fire for those girls.”

Lisa Bluder: ‘When you do it, you do it well’

It was already a special night in the first quarter when Caitlin Clark set the NCAA’s scoring record. Somehow, she managed to make it even more memorable by passing Megan Gustafson’s single-game program record in the final minutes of the game.

The home crowd saw quite a show, and Bluder praised Clark for not stopping at one historic moment.

“Not only did she [go] over the top with the scoring record, she [had] 49 tonight,” Bluder said. “When you do it, you do it well, girl.”

After the game, Clark took time to sign as many autographs as she could on the way to the locker room – as is customary following home games. It’s her way of giving back to the next generation of basketball fans and players.

But asked about her younger self, learning the game in West Des Moines, she had a message that also applies to those youth basketball players watching her Thursday night.

“Never stop dreaming because you can achieve way more than you ever thought,” Clark said. “I get to live that every single day.

“And I still keep dreaming, and I’m 22 years old. So never stop.”