IOWA CITY, Iowa — Standing in front of every seat at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday was a similar story. One of the most larger-than-life figures in modern sports, Caitlin Clark, is once again capturing the attention of stars and fans alike.
In her final regular season game in the state she calls home, Clark scored 35 points, surpassing Pete “Pistol” Maravich’s career scoring total and becoming the highest-scoring player in Division I basketball history, regardless of Is it a man or a woman.
Clark’s moment was common to all in attendance, from the fans wearing her T-shirts to the celebrities who added flavor to the event. Rapper Travis Scott dances on the sidelines with the Iowa State cheerleading squad. The cast of the “Jack at State Farm” commercial wore Clark vests designed by Kristin Juszczyk, and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan filmed the scene near the floor.
Clark’s childhood idol and former Bobcats great Maya Moore congratulated her protégé after the game. Iowa invited former Kansas star Lynette Woodard — who set the AIAW women’s basketball scoring record — to a standing ovation. ESPN broadcaster Holly Rowe hosted the Graduation Day ceremony. College Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Robert Gary wore Clark’s No. 22 jersey. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks sat ominously 10 rows behind the Iowa bench in a Clark T-shirt.
It’s 9:30 a.m. and the stars are shining brightly in Iowa City. @Moore No X @Caitlin Clark 22 #eagleeye pic.twitter.com/0tc7xzLeTm
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 3, 2024
These names and faces turned the event into a feast. The fans turned it into a celebration. Everyone wanted to share a piece of Clark, and she was more than happy to share herself at the moment.
“You can feel the energy, joy and excitement of our team, it’s contagious,” Clark said. “Our fans give us energy, but we give it back to them.”
Clark surpassed Maravich’s record with 0.3 seconds left in the first half. Instead of a long 3-pointer like the previous record-breaking one, Clark made two free throws after a technical foul to surpass the mark Maravich set at LSU in 1970. Against LSU, she only needed 18 points. Ohio State surpassed Maravich, her latest milestone after setting the all-time NCAA women’s scoring record.
“Honestly, I don’t care,” Clark said. “It was so cool to hear everyone start screaming. I think it gave us a lot of momentum going into halftime.”
More importantly for Clark, the No. 6 Hawkeyes defeated No. 2 Ohio State 93-83 to tie the season series.
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Fans young and old, local and from more than 1,000 miles away, came to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to see Clark’s final game.
Hayden Kinnick Zacher, 11, traveled from Colorado to watch her perform. He joined hundreds of other young people packed into the chaos on the sidelines to receive a jersey autographed by Caitlin Clark. He succeeded. Georgia 14-year-olds Pierce Moore and Ellie Hargrove flew in to watch the game and proudly displayed their homemade signs as a birthday present for Moore. One read: “Pistol taught me how to dribble. Caitlin taught me to dream.”
These fans from Georgia came to watch Clark play his final regular season home game at Iowa State. (Scott Dochtman/ Competitor)
Former retired Iowa resident Phyllis Opperman left her winter home in Panama City Beach, Florida, holding a sign to recount her 1,022-mile drive that began Thursday. She laughed and said the trip was 1,028 miles, but she likes to have 22 miles as part of her signature.
Welcome to the Kaitlyn Clark Experience, which is nearing its conclusion in black and gold as Clark enters the WNBA draft in April, where she is considered the No. 1 pick. Thirty of Iowa’s 32 regular-season games this year have been sold out, with several breaking stadium attendance records. This coming weekend, the second-seeded Hawkeyes will compete in the Big Ten Tournament, which is selling out for the first time 12 days in advance. Iowa State will likely host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, which means another sellout situation.
To get into Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, resale tickets start at $451. ESPN’s “College GameDay” was broadcast live before tipoff, with Fox televising the game and 275 credentialed media members in attendance. Three hours before tip-off, the stadium was already half full and packed even before the starting lineup. The crowd’s chants continued to exceed 100 decibels during almost every play of the game. Four peaks reached 116 decibels.
Clark’s fan base may have peaked nationally, but in Iowa City, fans have pretty much known they’re in for four fun years since she arrived on campus in 2020. She scored 27 points in her college debut, recorded the only 40-point triple-double in the NCAA Tournament and set a program record with 49 points in a game while leading Iowa to two Big Ten Championships and Won a national championship last season.
Since February, she has continued to climb the scoring list, and on February 15, she surpassed Kelsey Plumb for the first time to become the NCAA women’s basketball all-time scoring leader. Last week, she broke Woodard’s AIAW large school record. After surpassing Maravich’s total score, she scored 3,685 points in her career, sitting at the pinnacle of scoring in major college basketball.
Clark’s stardom is most evident when she walks off the court. Knowing this was her last regular season game, Clark met with hundreds of young people near Iowa’s bench and signed posters, shoes, jerseys and even stuffed animals. Every second there was a high-pitched “Caitlin!” shouted someone near the tunnel.
Clark signed for about 20 minutes, surrounded by four security guards and isolated from anyone with any ambitions. It started on Iowa’s bench 45 minutes into the game. The game ended right in front of the locker room.
For Clark, it’s not just the points, the signature 3-pointers, the cross-court assists or the shrugs. It’s about the feeling she makes fans in her presence. About a month ago, 9-year-old Penelope Pearson of North Liberty, Iowa, sat courtside watching the Iowa-Nebraska game. Pearson’s December Christmas present was a ticket to see “Clark.” A week before the holiday, Pearson was diagnosed with leukemia and was unable to attend.
On January 27, the day before the Iowa-Nebraska game, Penelope underwent chemotherapy. Then her mother Liz received a call from someone who could give them tickets. Even though Penelope was weak, she wanted to go. “She’s the strongest kid I know,” Liz Pearson said. Penelope dyed her hair pink and sat near the court. Once the game was over, Clark noticed her presence and immediately grabbed the security guard, pointed at Penelope, and pulled the family to the floor, demanding autographs, hugs and conversation.
“It was such an inspiration to see these strong women. Penelope knew that as long as she had these people to look up to, she could do almost anything,” Liz Pearson said through tears.
Clark’s influence also transcended gender. Clark left the court two hours after the West Burlington (Iowa) High School boys basketball team held a practice in Caper Hawkee ahead of the state championship game. The boys took turns shooting 3-pointers from Clark’s mark, and she broke Plum’s NCAA record. This position is 33 feet from the basket. In their repeated attempts—too many—more balls hit the floor than irons were pulled out. But every 3-pointer Clark made elicited high-fives.
From the setting of “College GameDay” to the Falcons shooting from the logo 10 hours later, Clark reminded everyone why she’s one of them. She is Teflon withstand the pressure and expectations and proves it on the court. She is very generous with her time. Whether it was a millionaire rapper, a little girl with cancer or a grandmother who had held tickets for 30 years, Clark treated everyone with kindness and a big smile.
“I’m happy for Caitlin,” Iowa State coach Lisa Bruder said. “I think she represents the university and represents our sport. … She’s a great ambassador. I’m very grateful for that.”
(Top photo: Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
