Caitlin Clark is more than the best passer in college basketball and a logo-shooting supernova: She’s about to become the best scorer in NCAA women’s basketball history, and maybe NCAA history. 

Clark, a senior All-American who led Iowa to the national championship game in April, is on pace to top Kelsey Plum’s scoring record (3,527), set in 2017. Perhaps more impressively, she could also top the men’s scoring record, set by Pete Maravich in 1970 (3,667 points), back before the 3-point line existed. 

Clark started the 2022-23 season with 2,717 career points, and through five games is averaging 31. Given that she’s never averaged less than 26.6 per season, she’ll likely break Plum’s record toward the end of February (provided she stays healthy). Then again, this is a player who has a history of 40-point performances, so it could happen sooner. 

Should Clark return for a fifth year — because of COVID she has one extra season of eligibility if she wants it — she would undoubtedly shatter both records. 

How many points did Caitlin Clark score in Iowa's last game?

vs. Drake on Sunday, Nov. 19: Clark scored 35 points in the Hawkeyes’ 113-90 win, setting a NCAA record for most 30-point games in Division I women’s basketball (39). The guard also handed out 10 assists and grabbed a career-high seven steals, along with six rebounds. It was the 44th time in her career that Clark has tallied 25 or more points, five or more assists and five or more rebounds, tops in the NCAA. It was also her 46th career double-double. In connecting on 5-of-11 long-distance attempts, Clark continued her streak of hitting a 3 in 63 consecutive games, also best in the NCAA. It was a nice bounce-back performance for Clark and Iowa after the Hawkeyes were upset Nov. 16 by unranked Kansas State, 65-58, the first time in the Caitlin Clark era that Iowa has been held under 60 points. 

Points shy of breaking Plum’s record: 656

Points shy of breaking Maravich’s record: 796

How many career points does Caitlin Clark have?

After her 35-point performance vs. Drake, Caitlin Clark has 2,872 career points (and counting!)

Can Caitlin Clark break the scoring record?

Absolutely. The real question is, can Clark break both scoring records? Former Washington All-American Plum, now a WNBA All-Star with the Las Vegas Aces, holds the Division I women's record with 3,527 points. Pete Maravich holds the Division I men's record with 3,667. Depending on how deep Iowa plays into the postseason, both of those records are within reach for Clark.

What is Caitlin Clark's highest-scoring game?

Clark's highest-scoring game came early in the 2023-24 season, when she hung 44 points on Virginia Tech, another 2023 Final Four participant. Clark shot 13-for-31 that game, including 5-for-16 from 3. She also grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists in the 80-76 win.

How many points does Caitlin Clark average per game?

Through five games in the 2023-24 season, Clark is averaging 31 points. Over her career, she's averaged 27.3 points.

One of the most impressive parts of Clark's game is that she's averaged more points each season. Here's how it breaks down:

• Freshman year: 26.6 points
• Sophomore year: 27.0 points
• Junior year: 27.8 points
• Senior year: 31.0 points

Caitlin Clark game-by-game points in 2023-24

Here's a breakdown of Clark's scoring this season for the Hawkeyes:

• vs. Drake, 11/19/2023: 35 points
• vs. Kansas State, 11/16/2023: 24 points
• at UNI, 11/12/2023: 24 points
• vs. Virginia Tech, 11/9/2023: 44 points
• vs. FDU, 11/6/2023: 28 points

Follow Lindsay Schnell on social media @Lindsay_Schnell