Caitlin Clark ‘excited’ and not ‘anxious’ as she approaches NCAA women’s basketball scoring record
Caitlin Clark has been closing in on the all-time NCAA women’s basketball scoring record this season. Michael Reaves/Getty Images CNN —
Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark says she is “excited” and not “anxious” about potentially becoming the NCAA women’s basketball all-time leading scorer.
Clark, a standout player in the women’s college game for a number of years, will likely pass Kelsey Plum’s record of 3,527 career points when the Hawkeyes play the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night.
She is currently seven points behind former Washington Huskies star Plum on the scoring list.
“I’m not anxious about it really at all. I’m just very excited. It’s going to be a special night,” the 22-year-old said at the Hawkeyes’ weekly news conference.
“I understand the magnitude of this,” she added. “I think it’s just kind of come along with how my four years have gone. It’s crazy looking back at how fast everything’s gone. I’m just really thankful and grateful.”
Clark is the only Division I women’s player to have reached 3,000 points and 1,000 assists and recently became the Big Ten Conference’s all-time leading scorer when she passed Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell.
Two-time WNBA champion Plum has already congratulated Clark on social media for beating her record, but later added that she had done so too early.
Ticket demand for Thursday’s potentially historic game in Iowa City is skyrocketing. According to online ticket marketplace TickPick, the overall average purchase price of a seat is $394 and the current “get-in” price is listed as $337, 206% more expensive than the same game back in November.
TickPick also said that this is the second most expensive women’s basketball ticket in history behind what could be Clark’s last career regular season home game against the Ohio State Buckeyes next month.
Clark attempts a free throw against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on February 11. Steven Branscombe/Getty Images
When asked if she ever thought she could be in a position to set the record, Clark said, “I’m somebody that has really big dreams, goals and aspirations, but I think to put it on this level and this magnitude, that would be crazy for me to say. So I would say, ‘No.’
“But obviously, I dreamed of doing really big things – playing in front of big crowds, going to the Final Four, maybe not quite on this level. I think that’s really hard to dream and, obviously, you can always exceed expectations, even your own. I think that’s been one of the coolest parts.”
Clark is projected to be selected first overall by the Indiana Fever if she enters the 2024 WNBA draft, though she has the option to remain at the collegiate level for an additional year due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on prior NCAA seasons.
This season, Clark and Iowa are looking to end the season on a high by claiming a first ever women’s basketball national championship.
The Hawkeyes reached their first ever title game last year but were beaten by Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers.
CNN’s Sam Joseph contributed to reporting.