With 3,462 points, Caitlin Clark is nearing legendary status as she closes in on breaking the NCAA women's scoring record. In addition, the Iowa Hawkeyes' superstar is not far behind Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA record of 3,667 points.
Maravich's son Jaeson Maravich recently shared his thoughts on Clark possibly breaking his father's record. He wants them judged as distinct achievements, rather than competing marks.
“I look at my dad's record, and if somebody breaks it, it's almost like two totally different records,” he said per NOLA.com. "Just because of the circumstances and the rules and everything else. I think they had said if he had played four years, he would have had close to 5,000."
"So, I said this last year: It's kind of like an apple-to-orange comparison. And then if you're talking about the women's record, I mean, to me, that'd be two totally separate records.”
Maravich performed his scoring sorcery for LSU without two key weapons Clark enjoys. Those being no three-point arc or shot clock to buoy his numbers. The Hall of Fame guard was also denied a freshman campaign as NCAA rules at the time prohibited first-year students from playing at the varsity level. Maravich went on to average a phenomenal 44.2 points per game in three college seasons en route to setting the NCAA record.
Though Caitlin Clark pursues his father’s records, Jaeson considers himself a fan and thinks the Hawkeyes' standout is great for the sport.
“I got a chance to see (Clark) play for the first time last year, and she’s incredible,” he said. “She’s great for the sport, for women’s basketball, and I think she’s going to be a great pro. She’s very fun to watch, and I love the way she plays. So, I’m not surprised that she’s on the verge of breaking the all-time scoring record for women.”
When Caitlin Clark suits up Saturday against Maryland, it will mark her 123rd career game. Already 40 more than Maravich needed to set the record.
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Can Caitlin Clark break Pete Maravich's NCAA scoring record?
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes kick off a crucial seven-game stretch against Maryland to conclude the regular season. She sits just 65 points shy of Kelsey Plum's women's record of 3,527 career points. Meanwhile, the coveted overall mark of 3,667 by "Pistol Pete" Maravich looms 205 points away.
The women's record seems well within Clark's grasp should she maintain good health. To break it before the conference tournament, she would need to average a modest 9.3 points per game. An easy mark for the Hawkeye star. In her last five games alone, Clark has poured in a blistering 37.6 points per game.
Maravich's once untouchable career benchmark now also appears vulnerable given Caitlin Clark's recent scoring barrage. By averaging a little more than 29 points per game for the rest of the season, she could claim the overall crown.
Reaching the season's finish line has stymied record seekers before. Just last year, Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis sat three points shy after a failed buzzer-beating three-pointer in his final collegiate contest. But with seven games left, Clark has extra leeway to author the storybook ending Davis narrowly missed.
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