Caitlin Clark passes Lynette Woodard, posts another triple-double in Iowa’s 108-60 win at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark broke one of the oldest records in women’s college basketball Wednesday night. She did it in a 96-year-old arena with AIAW national tournament banners hanging prominently above the center-court stripe.

Clark upped her career scoring total to 3,650 — one more than AIAW all-time scoring leader Lynette Woodard of Kansas — with 33 points in sixth-ranked Iowa’s 108-60 win over Minnesota.

Clark, of course, set the NCAA women’s career scoring mark two weeks ago, but the NCAA doesn’t recognize Woodard’s record because she played in the AIAW era from 1977-81.

“Tonight is the night of the real record,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “To me, the AIAW record that Lynette Woodard held, that was the real one. For some reason, the NCAA does not want to recognize the basketball that was played prior to 1982 and that’s wrong. We played basketball back then. They just don’t want to recognize it. That hurts the rest of us that were playing at that time. There’s no reason that should not be the true record.”

This wasn’t Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where Clark passed Kelsey Plum against Michigan, but it might as well have been a neutral site with thousands of Iowa fans delighted by Clark’s thrills.

The sold-out Williams Arena crowd of 14,625 was wise to be seated early for an 8 p.m. tipoff. Clark started her show right on time, drilling three 3-pointers and tallying 12 points to the Gophers’ two before three minutes were gone.

Clark had 21 points in the first half as the Hawkeyes (25-4, 14-3 Big Ten) collectively made 12 of 21 from deep and raced to a 53-26 advantage. Clark was 6-of-9 from long range in the opening half, securing the Big Ten record for 3-pointers in a career with her fourth in that first-quarter flurry (she now has 503). She broke the NCAA single-season record for triples in a season with her first trey of the second half (she now has 156).

Her eighth 3-pointer of the game (on 14 attempts) put the Hawkeyes up 96-54 with 4:29 left and sent her past Woodard. Minnesota’s public-address announcer acknowledged the feat after the game to another round of cheers.

“The NCAA didn’t want to recognize women and what they did back in the 1980s,” Clark said. “I think it just speaks to the foundation that these players have laid for us, to be able to play in environments like this, in front of crowds like this.

“I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be able to do what I’m doing every single night if it wasn’t for people like her.”

By the time she hit her final shot, Clark had already logged her 17th career triple-double, finishing with 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

“Obviously, she’s the most dominant player, the best player to have ever played in the women’s game, bar none,” Minnesota Coach Dawn Plitzuweit said. “To do what she does game after game — it’s almost mind-boggling, honestly.”

Gabbie Marshall drilled four 3s of her own and surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career. Kylie Feuerbach hit four from deep as well and Taylor McCabe buried five; the Hawkeyes made 22 of 39 (56.4%) and shot 61.8 percent from the floor.

“We passed the ball really well tonight, and when we do that, we can be dangerous,” Bluder said.

The Gophers (15-13, 5-12), with star guard Mara Braun and starting center Sophie Hart injured, have lost nine of their last 10 and offered little resistance.

Tougher tests await the Hawkeyes. First is Big Ten champion Ohio State in the regular-season finale Sunday in Iowa City. Then it’s back to Minneapolis, at the sold-out Target Center, for the Big Ten tournament next week.

Fans are advised to arrive early.

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com