Iowa career scoring record in sight for Caitlin Clark; Hawkeyes face UNI

IOWA CITY — It’s no longer a question of when.

Instead ... what will it be?

A drive to the basket in transition? One of those drives across the left side of the lane that opens up a midrange money jumper? A stylish 30-footer from the wing?

Sometime Sunday afternoon, Caitlin Clark will become the leading scorer in University of Iowa women’s basketball history.

“As soon as I saw her play as a freshman, I thought, ‘Yeah, this record isn’t going to last long at all,’” Megan Gustafson said in March.

“I love it.”

Gustafson scored 2,804 points in a career than ended with national-player-of-the-year honors in 2019.

Then along came Clark.

“I thought (Gustafson’s) record would be safe for a while,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. “Until we recruited Caitlin.”

Thursday’s 44-point outburst in third-ranked Iowa’s 80-76 win over No. 8 Virginia Tech moved Clark squarely within range of the record. She has 2,789 points — 15 to match Gustafson, 16 to surpass.

Iowa (2-0) faces Northern Iowa (1-0) with a 2 p.m. tip Sunday at a sold-out McLeod Center, Cedar Falls (ESPN+).

It’s a quick turnaround for the Hawkeyes, who got home early Friday morning, then practiced at 10 a.m.

“It’s up to (the coaching staff) to manage the legs of the players,” Bluder said. “It’s early (in the season), so they’re not fatigued yet.”

Iowa owns a 25-3 advantage in this series, but it’s always a challenge in Cedar Falls. The Panthers bit the Hawkeyes — hard — in 2019, 88-66.

Ten players on UNI’s roster of 13 are native Iowans. That includes all five starters: Maya McDermott (Johnston), Grace Boffeli (North Scott), Kayba Laube (Marion), Shateah Wetering (Montezuma) and Cailyn Morgan (Iowa City West).

Wetering transferred to UNI from Iowa after the Hawkeyes’ run to the NCAA championship game last April.

Iowa’s early-season rotation remains fluid.

Clark, Hannah Stuelke, Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall started in both of the first two games.

Sharon Goodman was a surprise starter in the post against Fairleigh Dickinson, and scored a career-high 19 points. Bluder went with a smaller lineup against Virginia Tech, starting Molly Davis.

Meanwhile, Addison O’Grady — who started both exhibitions — came off the bench in Game 1 and was a DNP (coaches decision) Thursday.

Iowa sports information confirmed postgame that O’Grady was not injured.

With LSU’s loss to No. 20 Colorado on Monday, the Hawkeyes will get strong consideration for the No. 1 slot in Monday’s Associated Press poll if they win.

On the other hand, Missouri Valley Conference favorite UNI probably would enter the top 25 with an upset victory.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com