EIGHT NEWS AT TEN STARTS RIGHT NOW. WE’RE COVERED BY GABBY MARSHALL. HERE COMES CLARKE. HOW WILL SHE GO FOR HISTORY? THE ALL TIME LEADING SCORER IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL. I’M SOMEBODY THAT HAS REALLY BIG DREAMS, GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS. BUT I THINK TO, LIKE, PUT IT ON THIS LEVEL AND LIKE THIS MAGNITUDE, LIKE THAT WOULD BE CRAZY FOR ME TO SAY. I THINK THIS IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. IT’S SUPER COOL THAT IT’S HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOL, THAT WE GET TO WATCH IT. I LOVE WATCHING HER AND I LOVE WHEN SHE HITS LIKE A DEEP. THE DEEPER DEEP THREES AND THAT JUST MAKES THE CROWD A LOT. AND I LIKE THAT PART. OH, I’VE GOT CHILLS. THAT WAS SO GREAT. HISTORY IS MADE IN IOWA CITY TONIGHT. A BIG NIGHT FOR THE HAWKEYES. AND SUPERSTAR CAITLIN CLARK. THE SENSATION. SENIOR SCORED 49 POINTS AGAINST MICHIGAN. BREDA HER CAREER HIGH. SHE NOW TAKES THE NUMBER ONE SPOT IN THE NCAA SCORING RECORD, DOMINATING THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET BY KELSEY PLUM. OKAY, SO CLARK’S CAREER SCORING TOTAL NOW 3569 POINTS. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, NUMBER FOUR IOWA DEFEATS MICHIGAN AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA TONIGHT. THE CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT IS INFECTIOUS AS HAWKEYE FANS ARE GOING CRAZY FOR THE SENIORS. HISTORIC BASKETBALL CAREER. NOT ONLY IS SHE GETTING SPECIAL RECOGNITION AT HOME, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND vlog HAS LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM CARVER HAWKEYE ARENA. TONIGHT WE’LL START THINGS OFF WITH SPORTS DIRECTOR SCOTT REISTER SCOTT. WHAT AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT. IT WAS AMAZING. TO BE HERE IN WITNESS HISTORY ON THIS COURT AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA. THE BIGGEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM, SAVE FOR POSSIBLY UPSETTING SOUTH CAROLINA AT THE FINAL FOUR IN DALLAS LAST MARCH. BUT THIS HAPPENED HERE. BIGGEST NIGHT IN THIS BUILDING, BAR NONE. IT WASN’T A MATTER OF IF CAITLIN CLARK WOULD GET THOSE EIGHT POINTS. ONLY A MATTER OF WHEN SHE WOULD GET THOSE, AND SHE CAME OUT SWINGING AFTER THAT LOSS TO NEBRASKA. STARTED WITH A QUICK THREE, A DRIVE, AND THEN HERE IS THE HISTORY. AND THE ONLY WAY SHE COULD HAVE DONE IT. THAT LOGO THREE. SHE GOT HER EIGHTH POINT IN THE RECORD JUST TWO MINUTES AND 12 SECONDS INTO THE NIGHT. WE GOT A COUPLE DIFFERENT ANGLES FOR YOU HERE. AS YOU SEE THE PLACE ERUPTED. I MEAN, LOOK AT THE RANGE SIGNATURE. CLARK, WHAT A MOMENT. HER PATENTED LOGO THREE. HER HIGH SCHOOL COACH AT DALZELL AND KRISTEN MEYER WAS HERE IN THE BUILDING, TOLD ME BEFORE THE GAME THAT CAITLIN WOULD GET A CAREER HIGH. SHE CALLED IT, AND MEYER WAS RIGHT. THE FIRST QUARTER JAW DROPPING. SHE JUST KEPT ON TAKING AND MAKING LOGOS. HER FIRST QUARTER STATS 23 POINTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER SHOT FIVE OF SEVEN FROM THREE. IN THE FIRST QUARTER, SHE WAS ON PACE FOR 92 POINTS AT THIS. OF COURSE, SHE DIDN’T GET THAT. SHE SLOWED DOWN A BIT AFTER THAT, BUT NOT BY MUCH. I WILL LET MICHIGAN BIG ALL NIGHT, AND WITH TWO MINUTES LEFT IN THE GAME, SHE HAD 46. HOW ABOUT ONE MORE? HER NINTH THREE OF THE GAME? BOONE IT. SHE WAS NINE OF 18 FROM THREE, FINISHED WITH 49 POINTS, 13 ASSISTS, FIVE REBOUNDS, SHOT, 16 OF 31 OVERALL, 49 POINTS. BLUDER TOOK HER OUT FOR AN OVATION WITH ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT. OTHERWISE SHE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE IOWA WON 106 89. THEN IT WAS TIME TO CELEBRATE. AFTER THEY JUMPED AROUND, THINGS GOT EMOTIONAL AS A VIDEO TRIBUTE PLAYED. CLARKE TEARED UP AS HER FAMILY AND TEAMMATES AND COACHES THE RECORDED MESSAGES THAT PLAYED OVER THE BIG BOARD HERE AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA. CAITLIN SOAKED IT ALL IN AND- THEN CONFETTI CAME DOWN HERD- TEAMMATES PICKED HER UP SO CELEBRATING HER UP IN THE AIR. AN AMAZING MOMENT THAT NO ONE HERE WILL EVER FORGET. ESPECIALLY THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR, CAITLIN CLARK, THE NEW ALL TIME SCORING LEADER. MY SHOT JUST FELT GOOD, SO I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE KIND OF ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS AND KIND OF PLAYED WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE PEP IN MY STEP. AND, UM, I KNEW THAT’S WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDED. AFTER COMING OFF OF COMING OFF OF A LOSS AND, UM, JUST JUST LUCKY, LIKE MY TEAMMATES. I’M JUST SO THANKFUL THEY LET ME BE ME AND I WOULDN’T BE WHERE I AM IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM. SO, UM. YEAH, I’M JUST JUST REALLY THANKFUL. I’M JUST FILLED WITH SO MUCH GRATITUDE AND LOVE AND, UM, THE WAY THESE FANS SUPPORT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL IS SO MUCH SPECIAL IS SO SPECIAL. AND, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, YOU ALL KNEW I WAS GOING TO SHOOT A LOGO. THREE FOR THE RECORD. COME ON NOW. YES, THE EYES OF THE BASKETBALL UNIVERSE SAW HER MAKE THAT. YOU KNEW SHE WOULD DO IT RIGHT. AN AMAZING ENVIRONMENT HERE. FANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, MEDIA FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BEAU BOWMAN RIGHT IN THE THICK OF IT. BO JOINING US NOW. AND THIS WAS HISTORY THAT SO MANY GOT TO WITNESS. BO. YEAH. SCOTT, THERE’S BEEN SO MUCH ANTICIPATION, SO MUCH BUZZ, SO MUCH HYPE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. LEADING UP TO THIS MOMENT. AND IT’S RARE IN THE WORLD THAT ALL THAT HYPE LIVES UP TO THE ACTUAL MOMENT. BUT TONIGHT, IT DEFINITELY DID. FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR, FANS LINED UP OUTSIDE CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA. WONDERFUL. JUST TO SEE WHAT CAITLIN’S. DONE FOR THE SPORT. WAITING TO GET IN AND WITNESS HISTORY. OH, IT WAS WICKED. HONESTLY. LIKE, OH MY GOD, LIKE I BLEW MY MIND. IT WAS AMAZING AND IT WAS DEAFENING. IT WAS SO LOUD. EXPLODED. YEAH, I THINK THAT’S THE LOUDEST I’VE EVER HEARD IT. CAITLIN CLARKE PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR THOSE WHO TRAVELED FROM FAR AND WIDE WITH 23 POINTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER, CARVER EXPLODED OVER AND OVER. WOMEN BASKETBALL’S ALL TIME LEADING SCORER, CLAIMING HER CROWN WITH AUTHORITY. ALL THE KIDS WHO HAVE ADMIRED HER FOR YEARS LEFT SPEECHLESS WITH EACH THREE. IT WAS REALLY COIN. SHE DOES SHOTS FROM LIKE EVERYWHERE WHERE IT’S LIKE YOU KILL HER SOMEWHERE TO SHOOT FROM AND SHE’S PROBABLY GONNA DO IT. YEAH, AND EACH HAWKEYE HERE THURSDAY NIGHT LEFT WITH A MEMORY. THEY WON’T FORGET. IT WAS ELECTRIC. IT WAS SUPER LOUD. EVERYONE JUMPING UP, CLAPPING. I MEAN, DEAFENING IN A WORD, CRAZY. I STILL HAVE ADRENALINE FROM IT. IT’S CRAZY. CANADA HAVE DRAWN IT UP. ANY BETTER. WITH ALL THE RECORD SHE HIT TONIGHT. NOT JUST THE ALL TIME LEADING SCORER IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL HISTORY, BUT THE PROGRAM SCORER. 49 POINTS TONIGHT IN CARVER HAWKEYE ARENA. A CAREER HIGH AS WELL. JUST COULDN’T HAVE DRAWN IT UP ANY BETTER. COACH BLUDER SAID THAT AS WELL. SCOTT. BO YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP. SIMPLY SENSATIONAL AND THE DOWLING COACHES SHE HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL GOT TICKETS. JAN JANSEN, ASSISTANT COACH AT IOWA, SURPRISED THEM. SO THEY WERE HERE. AND YOU LOOK BACK AT HER DAYS AT DOWLING WHERE SHE JUST PUT ON A SHOW AS A SENIOR. AVERAGED 33.5 POINTS, EIGHT REBOUNDS, FOUR ASSISTS. AND THEN SHE LED THE STATE IN SCORING THAT YEAR AS A SENIOR FOR THE SECOND TIME. UH, YOU KNOW, FANS ACROSS THE NATION GLUED TO THEIR SCREENS OR THEIR TABLETS AND THEIR PHONES
Can NCAA women's record-holder Caitlin Clark reach marks set by legends Pearl Moore, Lynette Woodard, Pistol Pete?
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Updated: 7:21 PM CST Feb 18, 2024
Long before Iowa star Caitlin Clark hit her first long-range three or signed her first autograph, Pearl Moore set a scoring standard for women's basketball that has stood for 45 years.The soft-spoken woman from South Carolina led her team at Francis Marion to the postseason four years in a row, averaging more than 30 points every season. The 5-foot-7 guard once scored 60 points in a game.She did it all under the radar in many ways, playing at a tiny school from 1975-79 when the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women oversaw the sport. Her career points total — a staggering 4,061 — still stands as the overall record in women's hoops and is unlikely to fall this season even if Clark and the Hawkeyes make another deep NCAA Tournament run.While Moore holds the overall record, former Kansas star Lynette Woodard holds the women's major college basketball record with 3,649 points from 1978-81. Kelsey Plum set the women's NCAA record of 3,527 after her four-year career at Washington (2013-17) and that total is the one Clark passed Thursday night with 3,569 points, drawing closer to Woodard and Moore.The 66-year-old Moore is retired now, living in her hometown of Florence, about a 90-minute drive from Columbia and the home of the top-ranked South Carolina program many believe will win the national championship this season. Iowa, which lost in the title game last season to LSU, is also among the favorites.Moore will be watching. She has enjoyed following Clark's run at the NCAA scoring record, amazed at her skill along with her composure in handling the demands of packed arenas and constant attention."She can lead her team, she can pass and she can score," Moore said. "Those are three key components to being a great player."Video: Watch the moment Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA women's scoring recordMoore's journey to becoming the greatest scorer in the women's game began in an era when women were not generally encouraged to play sports. But as part of a family of 11 children, there was always a game to join and she said she took to basketball because "there was something about that ball going through the hoop."And she could do that in bunches."I wanted to win and to do that, you had to score points, so I scored points," Moore said during an interview courtside at the Pearl Moore Center in Florence.Moore remembers getting just a couple of inquiries about playing college ball from schools in the AIAW, which at one point had more than 1,000 member schools.She began her college career at Anderson Junior College, where she scored 177 points in eight games. Always a homebody, Moore came back to the Florence area to play for Francis Marion, now part of NCAA Division II. In those days, women's basketball was largely the purview of the AIAW, which lasted until 1982, but Francis Marion was among the smaller schools by any measure.Moore played for Sylvia Hatchell, who went on to win an NCAA championship with North Carolina. Hatchell would marvel at Moore's ability to get off shots. Hatchell said Moore would often wait for a defender to get close enough for contact before shooting and come away with the extra foul shots."She always said that," Moore acknowledged. "But I just knew we had to get as many points as we could."Moore played professionally after college for the New York and St. Louis franchises of the old Women's Professional Basketball League. She won a league title with the New York Stars her rookie season, playing sparsely attended games at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden.Moore played a season overseas in Venezuela after the WPBL folded and won that league's championship as well. She did not understand much of the language, except about her main objective."They kept yelling, 'Lonza,'" Moore recalled, which means "ready for battle" and she interpreted as keep shooting.After that season in 1982, Moore wanted to return to her hometown where she would hold youth basketball camps and work for the Postal Service. She was enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 10 years later, with Hatchell as her presenter. South Carolina assistant coach Jolette Law grew up in Florence and played at the same high school as Moore, Wilson High. Law remembers how Moore played hard and was practically unguardable against women and men alike.Moore coached Law at youth clinics and at high school practices, helping her get recruited to Iowa under C. Vivian Stringer. Law considers Moore a mentor and inspiration."To have someone like that help me learn the game was very special," said Law, who was honored by her hometown when the court at the Pearl Moore Center was named for her.Moore brushed off the notion of where she might rank into today's game. Many of her shots, Francis Marion's longtime media relations and marketing director affirmed, came beyond the 3-point line distance of 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches."I'm not the only one that affects," she said. "Players like Lynette Woodard and Carol Blazejowski would've had bigger totals as well because of how we played."Blazejowski played at Montclair State in the mid-70s and finished with 3,199 points.Moore said she is grateful for her accomplishments, content with her place in the game and she is happy for Clark."Just tell those (TV) analysts to make sure they call it right" as the NCAA scoring record, she quipped. NCAA women's basketball career scoring leaders*Caitlin Clark, Iowa — 3,569Kelsey Plum, Washington — 3,527Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State — 3,402Jackie Stiles, Missouri State — 3,393Brittney Griner, Baylor — 3,283*Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo/Syracuse — 3,224Patricia Hoskins, Mississippi Valley State — 3,122Lorri Bauman, Drake — 3,115Jerica Coley, FIU — 3,107Rachel Banham, Minnesota — 3,093* — Clark and Fair are active players.More Caitlin Clark coverageCaitlin Clark videosHere's what Patrick Mahomes said when asked about Caitlin Clark during a Super Bowl news conferenceCaitlin Clark discusses her legacy at a press conference after NCAA title game
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Long before Iowa star Caitlin Clark hit her first long-range three or signed her first autograph, Pearl Moore set a scoring standard for women's basketball that has stood for 45 years.
The soft-spoken woman from South Carolina led her team at Francis Marion to the postseason four years in a row, averaging more than 30 points every season. The 5-foot-7 guard once scored 60 points in a game.
She did it all under the radar in many ways, playing at a tiny school from 1975-79 when the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women oversaw the sport. Her career points total — a staggering 4,061 — still stands as the overall record in women's hoops and is unlikely to fall this season even if Clark and the Hawkeyes make another deep NCAA Tournament run.
While Moore holds the overall record, former Kansas star Lynette Woodard holds the women's major college basketball record with 3,649 points from 1978-81. Kelsey Plum set the women's NCAA record of 3,527 after her four-year career at Washington (2013-17) and that total is the one Clark passed Thursday night with 3,569 points, drawing closer to Woodard and Moore.
The 66-year-old Moore is retired now, living in her hometown of Florence, about a 90-minute drive from Columbia and the home of the top-ranked South Carolina program many believe will win the national championship this season. Iowa, which lost in the title game last season to LSU, is also among the favorites.
Moore will be watching. She has enjoyed following Clark's run at the NCAA scoring record, amazed at her skill along with her composure in handling the demands of packed arenas and constant attention.
"She can lead her team, she can pass and she can score," Moore said. "Those are three key components to being a great player."
Video: Watch the moment Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark broke the NCAA women's scoring record
Moore's journey to becoming the greatest scorer in the women's game began in an era when women were not generally encouraged to play sports. But as part of a family of 11 children, there was always a game to join and she said she took to basketball because "there was something about that ball going through the hoop."
And she could do that in bunches.
"I wanted to win and to do that, you had to score points, so I scored points," Moore said during an interview courtside at the Pearl Moore Center in Florence.
Moore remembers getting just a couple of inquiries about playing college ball from schools in the AIAW, which at one point had more than 1,000 member schools.
She began her college career at Anderson Junior College, where she scored 177 points in eight games. Always a homebody, Moore came back to the Florence area to play for Francis Marion, now part of NCAA Division II. In those days, women's basketball was largely the purview of the AIAW, which lasted until 1982, but Francis Marion was among the smaller schools by any measure.
Moore played for Sylvia Hatchell, who went on to win an NCAA championship with North Carolina. Hatchell would marvel at Moore's ability to get off shots. Hatchell said Moore would often wait for a defender to get close enough for contact before shooting and come away with the extra foul shots.
"She always said that," Moore acknowledged. "But I just knew we had to get as many points as we could."
Moore played professionally after college for the New York and St. Louis franchises of the old Women's Professional Basketball League. She won a league title with the New York Stars her rookie season, playing sparsely attended games at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden.
Moore played a season overseas in Venezuela after the WPBL folded and won that league's championship as well. She did not understand much of the language, except about her main objective.
"They kept yelling, 'Lonza,'" Moore recalled, which means "ready for battle" and she interpreted as keep shooting.
After that season in 1982, Moore wanted to return to her hometown where she would hold youth basketball camps and work for the Postal Service. She was enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 10 years later, with Hatchell as her presenter.
South Carolina assistant coach Jolette Law grew up in Florence and played at the same high school as Moore, Wilson High. Law remembers how Moore played hard and was practically unguardable against women and men alike.
Moore coached Law at youth clinics and at high school practices, helping her get recruited to Iowa under C. Vivian Stringer. Law considers Moore a mentor and inspiration.
"To have someone like that help me learn the game was very special," said Law, who was honored by her hometown when the court at the Pearl Moore Center was named for her.
Moore brushed off the notion of where she might rank into today's game. Many of her shots, Francis Marion's longtime media relations and marketing director affirmed, came beyond the 3-point line distance of 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches.
"I'm not the only one that affects," she said. "Players like Lynette Woodard and Carol Blazejowski would've had bigger totals as well because of how we played."
Manny Millan
Lynette Woodard takes a foul shot during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Blazejowski played at Montclair State in the mid-70s and finished with 3,199 points.
Moore said she is grateful for her accomplishments, content with her place in the game and she is happy for Clark.
"Just tell those (TV) analysts to make sure they call it right" as the NCAA scoring record, she quipped.
NCAA women's basketball career scoring leaders
- *Caitlin Clark, Iowa — 3,569
- Kelsey Plum, Washington — 3,527
- Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State — 3,402
- Jackie Stiles, Missouri State — 3,393
- Brittney Griner, Baylor — 3,283
- *Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo/Syracuse — 3,224
- Patricia Hoskins, Mississippi Valley State — 3,122
- Lorri Bauman, Drake — 3,115
- Jerica Coley, FIU — 3,107
- Rachel Banham, Minnesota — 3,093
* — Clark and Fair are active players.
More Caitlin Clark coverage
Caitlin Clark videos
Here's what Patrick Mahomes said when asked about Caitlin Clark during a Super Bowl news conference
Caitlin Clark discusses her legacy at a press conference after NCAA title game
