Iowa star Caitlin Clark passed LSU and NBA legend « Pistol Pete » Maravich for the most points scored by a Division I basketball player, men’s or women’s, on Sunday.
— Caitlin Clark has joked about being nicknamed « Ponytail Pete » in recognition of how her game resembles that of « Pistol Pete » Maravich.
On Sunday in her last regular-season home game, the Iowa Hawkeyes star passed the LSU and NBA legend for the most points scored by a Division I basketball player, men’s or women’s.
On senior day at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Clark entered the game against Big Ten regular-season champion Ohio State needing 18 points to pass Maravich, who scored 3,667 points in his three seasons at LSU from 1967 to ’70.
Clark got the record in a rather improbable way. After Clark missed a 3-pointer on her last shot attempt of the first half, the Hawkeyes had one more chance at the basket after an Ohio State miss. Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke was fouled by Madison Greene, and then a technical foul was called on the Buckeyes’ Cotie McMahon.
After Stuelke hit two free throws, Clark stepped to the line with 0.3 seconds left needing both free throws to reach 18 points. She hit both to pass Maravich and give Iowa a 48-39 lead at halftime.
It has been a record-setting season for Clark, who announced Thursday she would not use the COVID-19 waiver from 2020-21 for a fifth season at Iowa and instead would enter the 2024 WNBA draft. That brought an extra poignancy to senior day, which she shared with teammates Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, Molly Davis and Sharon Goodman.
