What Caitlin Clark needs right now to break the NCAA women’s scoring record.

They originated from North Carolina, Georgia, and, of course, Iowa, as well as from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and nearby states like Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Up to three hours before Saturday’s opening tipoff, they were lining up outside Xfinity Centre on the University of Maryland campus. Many of them were decked out in Iowa black and yellow, while several girls were sporting No. 22 Hawkeyes shirts.

In front of a sellout crowd of 17,950, Caitlin Clark delivered as usual, hammering home 38 points to keep moving closer to Kelsey Plum’s women’s scoring record (3,527), which was set in 2017 during No. 4 Iowa’s 93-85 victory against Maryland.

With 3,462 career points, 6-foot senior point guard Clark of the Hawkeyes is just 66 points shy of breaking the all-time scoring record in women’s NCAA basketball. Pete Maravich set the men’s scoring record in 1970 with 3,667 points, and it is still attainable. Thursday’s game versus Penn State in Iowa City will see the record chase continue.

When Clark received the ball early and late in the game, the Maryland section of the Xfinity Centre crowd made fun of her, but later on, Clark saw firsthand how the most exciting player in the nation can quickly reverse the tide for Iowa (21-2, 10-1 Big Ten). She does this by whipping or bouncing passes to teammates in other parts of the court for their own baskets, in addition to scoring points—three rapid 3-pointers in the first quarter swiftly put an end to an early Maryland charge.

As Maryland players attempted to front and swarm Clark, who came into the game leading the country in scoring (32.1 ppg) and assists (7.7 apg), Clark ended with a season-high 12 assists, creating openings for her teammates for layups and some huge 3-pointers of their own.

People travel great distances, spend a lot of money, and expend a lot of energy to see us perform, but Clark says, “I take it all in everywhere I go and I think I’m just very grateful and obviously it’s changed my life in some ways more than others, just being aware of my surroundings and stuff like that.” I just want to have a great time whenever I step onto the court, and I’ve been able to find a lot of happiness and serenity in that. To be honest, I don’t get anxious for these games. It’s basketball, that’s what it is.

“I just find a calming presence in, like, being around my teammates and having fun playing this game. One game won’t make or break our season.”

“Let’s Go Hawks!” cries were emitted by Iowa fans who were waiting outside the arena before it opened and persisted throughout the game, especially with the introduction of the Maryland players.

With a step-back three, Clark struck the left wing. However, she proceeded on the subsequent possession, cheering the Maryland supporters. Subsequently, the Terrapins stormed ahead 11–3, with players leaping from the bench to welcome back Shyanne Sellers following her jumper prior to a timeout in the process.

However, Clark finished the quarter with three more 3-pointers, two of which were step-backs and one of her “logo 3s” from deep on the left wing. The programme had begun.

Prior to the game, Dickson Jensen, the All Iowa Attack’s coach from Clark’s previous AAU team, told USA TODAY Sports, “Shooting from the logo 3 isn’t just luck.” She has been shooting those hundreds of times a day for the past six to seven years. I could care less whether you’re 6’6″. When (she is) shooting from out here, it makes no difference.

Fast-paced Iowa always had a response ready for Maryland’s surges, whether it was a driving layup to finish the second quarter or a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Clark to end the first.

Coach Brenda Frese of Maryland, whose team finished with a 12-10 (4-7 Big Ten) record despite having one of the hardest schedules in the nation, remarked, “That game felt like March.”

Clark made 7 of his 17 3-point tries to finish. However, something else occurred as well—a facet of her game that occasionally makes Iowa appear invincible and very lethal. She was finding open teammates and making passes of all lengths from the beginning of the game, even if they weren’t able to finish with baskets.

Eventually, they did, and Clark’s backdoor cuts to teammates helped halt a Maryland comeback that had erased an 18-point third-quarter lead. With 6:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, the score was knotted 76-76 during back-and-forth play.

At that moment, Sydney Affolter was discovered underneath by Clark after he had made another big 3-pointer, and Clark later made a 3-pointer that helped secure the victory.

“We performed an excellent job of backdoor cutting and searching for scores around the rim tonight,” Clark remarked. “They’re in passing lanes, and we know Maryland plays out, so look to go backdoor and people are ready to finish the ball.”

Two additional Iowa scorers, Kate Martin, 15, and Molly Davis, 17, each finished in double digits. Clark, on the other hand, used both hands to pass, and she drove from both the right and left. She met the needs of everyone who showed up.

“We played in front of sold-out crowds every step of the way during our incredible run (to the women’s NCAA title game) last season,” Clark recalls. “We had 10,000+ at home.” Yes, there are always large audiences whether we are at home or on the road, so it has changed, but I believe that our team has grown accustomed to it. The most important thing, in my opinion, is that nobody runs from these situations—whether they are starting or coming off the bench—because at this point, that’s all you can do and you should learn to live with it.

“Enjoy every moment because it’s beneficial for women’s basketball more than anything else.”

With appreciative applause in her arms, she exited the court.

One fan lining up outside made the audible joke that half of Iowa was there before it even started. Another, Baltimore’s Erin Pryce, acknowledged that she purchased season tickets specifically to attend this game.

She declared, “We’re bandwagon.”

So, too, is a sizable portion of America, since Clark trails the women’s scoring record by maybe a few games.