"I don't think Lynette Woodard would have this moment without Caitlin Clark” WNBA gets candid as Iowa star becomes all-time NCAA scorer
Lynette Woodard is a name that trended online together with Caitlin Clark during Clark's record-breaking 2023-2024 college basketball season. Milestones were almost a daily occurrence this year for Clark, who became the career scoring leader in college basketball, overtaking Pete Maravich and Lynette Woodard.
There wasn't much fanfare for women's basketball in its infancy. The reason why Woodard's scoring record of 3,649 points is not recognized by the NCAA is that the sport was governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. This is why the Hall of Famer's milestones at Kansas are marked unofficial by the NCAA, which didn't rule the sport until 1981-82.
She would have her moment when Iowa Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder invited the WNBA legend to witness Clark break Pete Maravich's all-time scoring record of 3,667 points.
The Kansas Jayhawks legend said a few words and acknowledged the Iowa star to the sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
"I don't think Lynette Woodard would have this moment without Caitlin Clark," Woodard said to Holly Rowe of ESPN.
Lisa Bluder reminded the audience that there was women's basketball before the NCAA and that the NCAA "didn't want us (women)," according to the X post below.
Caitlin Clark breaks Pete Maravich’s NCAA basketball scoring record
Caitlin Clark broke LSU great Pete Maravich’s NCAA basketball scoring record, scoring her 3,668th point with a pair of free throws to end the second quarter against the No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in No. 6 Iowa's 93-83 win.
When asked by Fox Sports' Allison Williams during halftime if her historic shot from the free-throw line went through her head, Clark said:
"Not really, but when they announced it and everybody screamed, that's when I knew. Pretty cool."
During the game, the WNBA tweeted congratulations to Clark for her incredible milestone in college basketball history.
The Iowa guard recently declared her intentions to join the 2024 WNBA draft, where she is expected to be taken No. 1 by the Indiana Fever.
Music icon Travis Scott went to watch Clark and Iowa at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Clark, who has 3,685 points, dropped 35 points, with six rebounds, nine assists and three steals while shooting 10-for-26 from the field, including 6-for-17 from 3-point range, and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line on Sunday.
The Hawkeyes (26-4) next head to the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis, where they going in as the No. 2 seed. This is the team's best regular season in 24 years under Lisa Bluder.