Iowa's Caitlin Clark scores 3,000th career point in quest to become NCAA's all-time leading women's scorer

Iowa star Caitlin Clark broke into rarified air Wednesday.

With her 24th point against rival Iowa State, she crossed the 3,000-point mark for her career. In doing so, she became the 15th player in Division I women's history to score 3,000 points. The sharpshooter appropriately did so with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that extended Iowa's lead to 43-39 in a 67-58 Hawkeyes win.

The long-distance shot put her at 3,002 career points, and she finished the game with 35 points, nine rebounds and five assists while shooting 6-of-16 from 3-point range. She's now the only player ever with 3,000-plus points, 750-plus rebounds and 750-plus assists.

With the milestone in her pocket, Clark next eyes the NCAA women's all-time scoring record held by Kelsey Plum. The Las Vegas Aces All-Star left Washington in 2017 with 3,527 career points. Clark entered the 2023-24 season with 2,717 total points and an average of 906.7 points per season over three seasons. She cut that 810-point margin to 514 on Wednesday, leaving her on pace for the record.

She'll have the option to return for a fifth season next year. But that's far from likely, as she's projected as the almost-certain No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The moment Wednesday was all business for Clark. She got a standing ovation from the Iowa fans in attendance at the Iowa State home game. She then took a seat on the bench with her teammates during a timeout before returning to the court without fanfare.

The stakes are high for Clark this season. In addition to seeking the scoring record, she's looking to lead the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes to an NCAA title after a run to the championship game last season.