Caitlin Clark scored 32 points while breaking the single-season NCAA scoring record and No. 1 seed Iowa escaped with a 64-54 win over No. 8 seed West Virginia in the second round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday in Iowa City.
The Hawkeyes (31-4) advance to play No. 5 seed Colorado in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in a Region 2 semifinal at Albany, N.Y. Iowa closed the game on a 12-2 run to secure the victory.
JJ Quinerly scored 15 points to lead West Virginia (25-8). Kyah Watson added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Clark made history in the final home game of her collegiate career. She needed 29 points to surpass Kelsey Plum, who scored 1,109 points during her senior season with Washington during the 2016-17 campaign.
With 21.3 seconds remaining, Clark set the record by knocking down a free throw. She made three more free throws in the closing seconds to give her 1,113 points for the season entering this weekend’s matchup against Colorado.
“I know I’ve given everything to this program — same with these two,” Clark said about breaking the single-season record as she stood next to teammates Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall. “There’s a lot to be proud of. There were a lot of highs, a lot of lows, and that’s what makes these moments so special. I’m just thankful. I’m grateful.”
The score was even at 52-52 after Quinerly made a layup with 2:58 remaining.
Iowa finished strong in front of a raucous home crowd.
Marshall blocked a Quinerly shot with 2:12 left, and Sydney Affolter drove to the rim and made a left-handed layup to put Iowa on top 54-52 with 2:03 remaining.
Hannah Stuelke made it 56-52 after making 1 of 2 free throws with 1:07 left.
Clark tied Plum’s single-season record with a pair of free throws with 45.2 seconds to go. Stuelke followed with two more free throws to make it 60-52 with 34 seconds remaining.
Tirzah Moore scored West Virginia’s final basket to pull within the visitors within 60-54 with 23 seconds to go.
Clark followed with four more free throws to break Plum’s record and secure the win.
West Virginia scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to pull even at 48-48 with 5:18 remaining. Jayla Hemingway tied the score when she caught a pass on the left wing, squared her feet and knocked down a 3-pointer.
Iowa led 26-24 at the half.
–Field Level Media
