Caitlin Clark Climbing into B1G's Top 10

Iowa Star on Record-Breaking Pace in Storied Conference

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles around Iowa State's Lexie Donarski (21) on Dec. 7, 2022 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - It’s easy to get caught up in Caitlin Clark’s remarkable abilities as a scorer, from her logo 3-pointers to her stop-and-pop jumpers and her spinning drives to the basket.

Clark enters the 88th game of her University of Iowa career, a Wednesday home contest against Wisconsin, needing just 19 points to pass Indiana’s Tyra Buss and move into 10th on the Big Ten’s career scoring list. Everyone else on that list played between 119 and 144 games to finish in the Top 10.

Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder gives Clark the green light on offense, and she has averaged 19.1 field-goal attempts per game over her career. Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State, the Big Ten’s career scoring leader at 3,402 points, averaged 18.4 shot attempts over her 139-game career.

But Caitlin is more than a high-volume shooter. The beauty of Clark’s game is her gift of versatility. Her passing skills are off the charts, and she’s a sneaky-good rebounder. Clark became the first player in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to lead the nation in scoring and assists in the same season in 2021-22. And she’s in contention for that rare double-double again this season.

She’s tied for first nationally in assists with Nina Muhl of Connecticut at 8.3 per game. She is second nationally in scoring, behind Maddy Siegrist of Villanova (29.1).

Passing is a gift, much like scoring. It’s the result of God-given ability, a feel for the game and lots of hard work in an empty gym.

Clark has had at least eight assists in 14 of 25 games this seasons. She’s reached double figures in assists eight times.

“It’s something I’ve learned over time,” she said of her passing wizardry.

That learning curve is the result of new and different defensive looks that Clark faces, a compliment to her scoring ability. Sometimes she has to react on the fly.

“Sometimes I don’t have a choice,” Clark said. “I just have to throw a crazy pass because there are two people on me. It’s not something you work on. I guess it just happens out there at times.”

When Clark passes Buss in the near future, she will be the only player in Big Ten history to be in the career Top 10 in scoring and assists.

Clark’s 38 career double-doubles and nine triple-doubles are another sign of her well-rounded game. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten in rebounding in conference games this season and eighth in all games.

Her three triple-doubles are the most for any player in the nation this season, and Caitlin has come within a single assist or rebound of another triple-double four times in 2022-23.

Clark’s versatility is the best pitch for naming her the national player of the year after the season, which is looking more and more like a two-player duel between her and Aliyah Boston of South Carolina.

“As long as the team wins, all that takes care of itself,” Caitlin said. “I play because I love it. It gives a lot of people joy, not just myself.”

She’s become Iowa’s second-leading all-time scorer (2,246). She needs 28 assists to pass Kathleen Doyle and move into second for career assists. All in less than three seasons.

When you break down the Big Ten’s career scoring and assist Top 10 lists, one thing stands out. Clark’s career average for points (27.0) and assists (7.8) are better than anyone on those Top 10 lists.

Ohio State’s Mitchell has the second-best career scoring average at 24.5 points a game. Nancy Kennelly of Northwestern is close behind Clark with a 7.7 career assist mark.

Big Ten Career Scoring

Note: Clark has 2,346 points in 87 games (27.0 average)

1. Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State, 3,402 points (139 games, 24.5 average).

2. Rachel Branham, Minnesota, 3,093 points (144 games, 21.5 average).

3. Kelly Mazzante, Penn State, 2,919 points (133 games, 21.9 average).

4. Jantel Lavender, Ohio State, 2,818 points (136 games, 20.7 average).

5. Megan Gustafson, Iowa, 2,804 points (135 games, 20.8 average).

6. Katelynn Flaherty, Michigan, 2,776 points (140 games, 19.8 average).

7. Katie Smith, Ohio State, 2,578 points (124 games, 20.8 average).

8. Maggie Lucas, Penn State, 2,510 points (132 games, 19.0 average).

9. Machelle Joseph, Purdue, 2,405 points (119 games, 20.2 average).

10. Tyra Buss, Indiana, 2,364 points (135 games, 17.5 average).

Big Ten Career Assists

1. Samantha Pralis, Ohio State, 901 assists (133 games, 6.8 average).
2. Samantha Logic, Iowa, 898 assists (135 games, 6.6 average).
3. Nancy Kennelly, Northwestern, 892 assists (116 games, 7.7 average).
4. Tina Nicholson, Penn State, 826 assists (124 games, 6.6 average).
5. Helen Darling, Penn State, 791 assists (126 games, 6.3 average).
6. Ashley Deary, Northwestern, 788 assists (131 games, 6.0 average).
7. Jess Strom, Penn State, 776 assists (133 games, 5.8 average).
8. Kathleen Doyle, Iowa, 706 assists (123 games, 5.7 average).
9. Lindsey Moore, Nebraska, 699 assists (132 games, 5.3 average).
10. Caitlin Clark, Iowa, 679 assists (87 games, 7.8 average).