100th game for Caitlin Clark at Iowa is for national title

0

DALLAS (AP) — Led by Caitlin Clark, The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year, Iowa will play in its first national championship game tonight against LSU.

That will be the Clark’s 100th game with the Hawkeyes. A look at her Iowa career so far for the 6-foot guard who will be back next season. As a 21-year-old junior, she’s not eligible for the WNBA draft.

SOME IMPRESSIVE STATS

— Averaging 27.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.0 assist per game in her career.

— 11 career triple-doubles, a Big Ten record and tied for the second-most in NCAA history.

— 43 career double-doubles.

— This season became the first player in Division I women’s basketball history to record more than 1,000 points and 300 assists in a single year.

— Active streak of 89 consecutive games scoring in double figures, an NCAA Division I record.

— Has made a 3-pointer in 56 consecutive games.

SOME MILESTONE MOMENTS

Nov. 25, 2020: Made her Iowa debut by scoring 27 points with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in a win over Northern Iowa.

Dec. 2, 2020: Has first 30-point game, scoring 30 at Drake.

Dec. 22, 2020: Has first triple-double, with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in win over Western Illinois.

Jan. 2, 2022: First 40-point game, with 44 points against Evansville.

Jan. 20, 2022: Had the second of consecutive 30-point triple-doubles with 35 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a 105-49 win at Minnesota. Clark joined Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Luka Doncic Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBA, WNBA, and Division I men’s or women’s players with back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles since 2000.

Jan. 25, 2022: Broke Iowa’s single-game assist record with 18 in a win at Penn State.

Feb. 6, 2022: Scored a career-high 46 points against Michigan.

March 4, 2022: Had 19 points and six assists in a 72-59 win over Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament opener to finish a streak of 19 games with at least 15 points and five assists. It tied Murray State’s Ja Morant for the second-longest such streak in Division I history behind Texas Tech’s Trae Young (22).

Dec. 21, 2022: Eclipsed 2,000 career points in her 75th career game, matching Elena Delle Donne as the fastest NCAA Division I women’s basketball player to reach that mark.

Feb. 26, 2023: Hits buzzer-beating 3-pointer to top Indiana in final regular season game. Clark scored 34 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists. She took the inbound pass from Kate Martin with 1.5 seconds left while coming off a screen from Monika Czinano. Her off-balance shot from the right side that rolled in as the horn sounded.

March 17, 2023-current: The first player since 2000 to average at least 30 points and 10 assists over a five-game span while also shooting at least 50% from the field.

March 26, 2023: Had the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA Tournament history, with 41 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a regional final win over Louisville.

March 31, 2023: Became the first player to post back-to-back 40-point performances in the women’s NCAA Tournament after her 41-point game lifted the Hawkeyes over previously unbeaten South Carolina in the Final Four.

___

More AP coverage of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

No posts to display