Caitlin Clark entered Thursday night’s game against Michigan needing only eight points to set the NCAA Division I women’s scoring record, breaking Washington’s Kelsey Plum 3,527 mark set in 2017.
It was a matter of when — not if — Clark would break Plum's record. As such, sportsbooks offered several props for fans to get in on the action. They could bet on which type of shot, and in what quarter she’d break the record. A 3-point field goal was the favorite at -120, followed by a layup at +145, free throw at +850 and other at +1400. Meanwhile, the first quarter was -600, second quarter +440, third quarter at +6000 and fourth quarter at +10000.
Clark was determined to set the record early, scoring Iowa's first eight points. She pulled off a spin move for a nifty layup on the first possession of the game and then hit a 3-pointer. Clark set the record in dramatic fashion three possessions later, drilling a 3-pointer a step front of the logo just 2:12 into the game.
She wasn't satisfied, though. Clark scored 23 points in a scintillating first quarter. She dominated the rest of the way, too, finishing with 49 points, 13 assists and five rebounds in Iowa's 106-89 victory.
Clark now has her eyes set on setting the overall NCAA record for points. She currently owns the third-highest total, trailing only LSU’s Pete Maravich (3,667) and Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis (3,664). Clark entered Iowa’s game against Michigan averaging 32.1 points per game, and at that pace needed 4.58 games prior to tipoff to break Maravich’s record. There are four more regular season games before the Big East and NCAA tournaments, meaning if Clark continues to average 32.1 PPG, she’d break it in the regular season finale vs. Ohio State on March 3.
