As Caitlin Clark inches closer to making history, the anticipation surrounding her inevitable record-breaking moment is palpable. With just eight points away from surpassing Kelsey Plum’s NCAA Division I women’s scoring record, all eyes are on the Iowa standout as she gears up to face off against the Michigan Wolverines.

The potential record-breaking performance of Clark with Iowa may sour the mood of Angel Reese, given their perceived rivalry as the two most media-friendly players in the league. Currently, Caitlin holds the edge, which adds tension to their dynamic.

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For Clark and the Hawkeyes, this game holds significant importance beyond just individual accolades. It’s an opportunity to bounce back from a recent setback against Nebraska and solidify their position in the heated three-team race for the Big Ten title.

With only five regular-season contests left, every game carries pivotal seeding repercussions for the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The buzz surrounding Clark‘s pursuit of history has been building for weeks, especially after she surpassed Kelsey Mitchell‘s Big Ten mark. However, the spotlight on Super Bowl Sunday dimmed slightly as the Nebraska Cornhuskers managed to hold her scoreless in the fourth quarter, thwarting her record-breaking bid.

Nonetheless, with the NFL in its post-Super Bowl lull and the NBA quiet ahead of its All-Star break, all attention now turns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“I’m not anxious about it really at all,” Clark said. “I’m just really excited. It’s going to be a special night.”

An outstanding season

Unlike Plum‘s record-breaking feat, where she scored an astounding 57 points on senior night, Clark‘s path to history seems almost effortless. Averaging an impressive 32.1 points per game, she could potentially shatter the record by the first-quarter buzzer.

“Eight points is what we’re looking at for this record, and obviously she’s going to just blast it out of the water,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. “It’s going to be fun to see how many points she adds on to that.”

What LSU’s Kim Mulkey told Caitlin Clark after Iowa star’s historic March Madness performance

Kim Mulkey isn’t shedding tears that Caitlin Clark will soon be heading to the WNBA.

After Clark and Iowa eliminated Mulkey and LSU on Monday night in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, the Lady Tigers’ coach complimented Iowa’s iconic sharpshooter.

“What did I say to her?” Mulkey said. “I said, ‘I sure am glad you’re leaving. Girl, you’re something else. Never seen anything like it.’”

Kim Mulkey on what she told Caitlin Clark in the handshake line: "I sure am glad you leaving. Girl, you something else. Never seen anything like it." 😅 pic.twitter.com/tIaW8ASBLD

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 2, 2024

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Kim Mulkey speaks postgame after LSU’s loss to Iowa.X/NCAA Tournament

Mulkey has seen first-hand in each of the last two tournaments why Clark is the greatest scorer in NCAA history, and this time, her squad couldn’t down the Hawkeyes, who defeated the Tigers 94-87 on Monday.

Last season, LSU topped Iowa in the title game, 102-85, despite 30 points and eight rebounds from Clark.

On Monday, Clark torched LSU for 41 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. The Lady Tigers had no answers for Clark, who shot 13-of-29 from the field and 9-of-20 from deep.

Clark’s nine 3-pointers tied the NCAA Women’s Tournament record.

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Kim Mulkey and LSU had no answers for Caitlin Clark.Getty Images

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Caitlin Clark scored 41 points against LSU.AP
Clark particularly torched in the third quarter after the teams entered the break even at 45-all. She hit four three-pointers to help give Iowa a 69-58 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“There’s not a whole lot of strategy,” Mulkey said when asked about defending Clark. “You got to guard her, nobody else seems able to guard her. We didn’t even guard her last year when we beat them. She’s just a generational player and she just makes everybody around her better. That’s what the great ones do.

“I think they had a kid that scored 21 (Kate Martin) and 18 (sic; 16; Sydney Affolter), (Clark) had 12 assists. Caitlin Clark is not going to beat you herself. It’s what she does to make those other teammates better that helps her score points and them score points to beat you.”

With Clark ending LSU’s season, the Lady Tigers fell three wins short of becoming the first reigning national champion to repeat since UConn four-peated from 2013-16.