Caitlin Clark supplants Megan Gustafson as Iowa’s all-time scoring leader

CEDAR FALLS — Caitlin Clark has risen to No. 1 on the all-time women’s basketball scoring chart at the University of Iowa.

Now ... will the Hawkeyes be No. 1 in the nation Monday?

Clark surpassed Megan Gustafson as Iowa’s most prolific career scorer, and the third-ranked Hawkeyes posted their most lopsided road win ever against Northern Iowa, 94-53, in front of a sellout crowd of 6,790 Sunday afternoon at the McLeod Center.

“It’s cool,” Clark said. “Obviously, it’s special to do it with this group. I got a call from Megan to go break it today.

“I loved watching Megan, what she did. She embodied what this program is all about, and there’s nothing fake about her.”

Clark finished with her 12th career triple-double (24 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) and upped her career points total to 2,813.

Gustafson scored 2,804 points in a career that spanned from 2015 through 2019.

“An amazing accomplishment,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder called it.

Clark tied Gustafson with a pair of free throws at the 8:35 mark of the third quarter.

The record-breaker came with 5:51 left in the third quarter. Inbounding from the baseline, she got the ball back at the top of the key. She drove, converted and was fouled.

The Hawkeyes (3-0) led from start to finish, holding UNI (1-1) to 25-percent shooting (16 of 64), including 2 of 19 from 3-point range.

“I’m really happy with our defense and rebounding,” Bluder said. “Maybe we didn’t catch UNI on their best night.”

UNI Coach Tanya Warren called it “one of those days. I thought we defended well, but if you can’t put the ball in the hole, it wears on your defense.

“This moment might have been too big for us.”

Iowa took care of business this week in impressive fashion. The Hawkeyes earned an 80-76 neutral-court win over No. 8 Virginia Tech on Thursday and posted lopsided victories over Fairleigh Dickinson (Monday) and UNI.

With No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Connecticut losing this week, the Hawkeyes likely will earn heavy consideration for the top spot in Monday’s Associated Press poll. If it happens, it will be Iowa’s first No. 1 ranking since Feb. 22, 1988.

“I have no idea,” Bluder said.

Clark said, “This week gets us off on the right note. It’s just the starting block. Next week isn’t going to be any easier.”

Scoreless in the Hawkeyes’ first two games, Gabbie Marshall busted out with 17 points Sunday, hitting 5 of 10 shots behind the arc.

“I told myself, ‘Just keep shooting,’” Marshall said. “In shoot-around, I was feeling good. I thought, ‘All right, I’m going to get hot tonight.’”

Hannah Stuelke added 16 points.

Four Hawkeyes — Clark, Kate Martin, Sydney Affolter and Stuelke — had seven rebounds or more, and Iowa posted a 53-31 advantage on the glass.

Former Marion prep Riley Wright came off the bench to pace UNI with 14 points and seven rebounds. Grace Boffeli added 11 points.

The Hawkeyes host Kansas State on Thursday; UNI is at Ball State on Saturday.

Iowa 94, Northern Iowa 53

At Cedar Falls

IOWA (94): Hannah Stuelke 6-9 3-5 16, Molly Davis 1-5 2-2 4, Kate Martin 4-8 1-2 9, Caitlin Clark 6-13 10-12 24, Gabbie Marshall 6-12 0-0 17, Sydney Affolter 0-1 2-4 2, Sharon Goodman 3-4 0-0 6, Addison O’Grady 2-2 3-4 7, Kylie Feuerbach 1-3 0-0 3, Taylor McCabe 2-2 0-0 6, Jada Gyamfi 0-0 0-0 0, Kennise Johnson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-60 21-29 94.

NORTHERN IOWA (53): Grace Boffeli 4-8 3-7 11, Maya McDermott 1-4 0-0 3, Cailyn Morgan 0-3 1-2 1, Emerson Green 1-12 1-2 4, Kayba Laube 0-6 0-0 0, Shateah Wetering 2-6 0-0 4, Riley Wright 5-10 4-9 14, Tayn Wharton 3-8 3-3 9, Rachael Heittola 0-6 2-4 2, Bri Robinson 0-0 5-6 5, Ellie Foster 0-1 0-0 0, Katy Reyerson 0-0 0-0 0.

Iowa 20 20 35 19 — 94

UNI 11 14 16 12 — 53

3-point goals: Iowa 11-27 (Stuelke 1-1, Davis 0-3, Martin 0-3, Clark 2-5, Marshall 5-10, Affolter 0-1, Feuerbach 1-2, McCabe 2-2), UNI 2-19 (Boffeli 0-1, McDermott 1-1, Morgan 0-2, Green 1-4, Laube 0-5, Wetering 0-1, Wright 0-2, Heittola 0-2, Foster 0-1). Team fouls: Iowa 24, UNI 26. Fouled out: Heittola. Rebounds: Iowa 53 (Clark 10), UNI 31 (Wright 7). Assists: Iowa 22 (Clark 11), UNI 4 (four with 1). Steals: Iowa 5 (five with 1), UNI 9 (Wright 4). Turnovers: Iowa 17, UNI 10.

Attendance: 6,790.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com