Iowa may have missed out on the national title for a second straight year but superstar Caitlin Clark still managed to set another record to bring an end to her collegiate career.
The Hawkeyes star erupted in the first quarter of Sunday’s national championship game against South Carolina.
Clark put up an incredible 18 points in the first 10 minutes of her final game in an Iowa jersey at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, and a deep contested 3-pointer over Gamecocks star Kamilla Cardoso in the final minute helped her shatter a record, according to Sports Illustrated.
The three-pointer marked the most points scored by a player in a single quarter of championship game.
It also set a new all-time NCAA women’s tournament scoring record as the bucket saw Clark surpass both Maya Moore and Chamique Holdsclaw — who previously held the all-time mark with 479 career tournament points — on the scoring list.
Caitlin Clark still managed to set another record to bring an end to her collegiate career
Clark put up an incredible 18 points in the first 10 minutes before Iowa ultimately lost
After pouring in 30 points on Sunday, Clark took her tally to 492 for her career in the NCAA tournament.
However, her slew of records weren’t enough to help her add a national title the Gamecocks pulled away for an 87-75 victory, making the Hawkeyes the national runner-up for a second straight season.
Clark made 10 of 28 shots – including 5 of 13 3-pointers – and finished her four-year stay in Iowa City, Iowa with 3,951 points, an NCAA record for both men and women. Clark added five assists and eight rebounds.
Her run to a second straight NCAA final helped turn the women’s tournament into appointment television. Her performances have set a new TV ratings record for women’s college basketball twice in the last week alone, with another record likely waiting after the title game.
After pouring in 30 points, Clark took her tally to 492 for her career in the NCAA tournament
Clark has tried to take her blossoming stardom in stride, frequently deflecting much of the attention to her Iowa teammates and a sport that is having a moment.
Earlier this season, Clark also passed Pete Maravich to become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.
She is also the first D1 player in history with at least 3,800 points, 1,000 assists and 950 rebounds.
She also notched another record in Iowa’s Elite 8 win vs. LSU, as the Hawkeyes star passed Diana Taurasi for the most 3-pointers made in the women’s NCAA tournament during a 41-point masterclass on Monday.
