Caitlin Clark and Iowa women’s basketball celebrated sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke’s record-breaking 47 points, which helped the Hawkeyes defeat Penn State 111-93 on Thursday.
Clark, the Hawkeyes’ standout player who is on the verge of breaking the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record, applauded Stuelke’s performance, which was one point higher than Clark’s previous record game of 46 points versus Michigan in 2022. Despite not leading the scoring for the first game in over a year, Clark’s 27 points and season-high 15 assists helped the team win on Thursday.
“Tonight, I didn’t shoot great, but Hannah Stuelke played extremely well,” Clark told ESPN’s Michael Voepel.
“Not at all.” Clark said, “She can have it,” when asked if she was concerned that Stuelke had exceeded her.
Stuelke’s game score is the second-highest in Iowa women’s basketball history, one point behind Megan Gustafson’s 48 points. Gustafson, who currently plays for the Las Vegas Aces, established the record in a game against Minnesota in 2018.
Clark’s pursuit of the NCAA scoring record is nearing its conclusion, with the senior guard just 39 points away from setting a new standard. Clark and Stuelke have emerged as a formidable force in women’s college basketball, with both players scoring 40 points in the same season—a rare in major conference play over the last 25 years. Stuelke, whose previous career high was 22 points, cited Clark’s confidence in her as a crucial component.
“She just believes in me and wants me to keep playing my best,” Stuelke added. “I believe my confidence will improve significantly. Now I can be more active on offense. That is exciting.”
The last time Clark did not lead the Hawkeyes in scoring was on February 12, 2023, when Molly Davis scored 17 points in a 111-57 win against Rutgers, with Clark adding 15 points. Furthermore, Clark was not Iowa’s leading scorer in only one game last season, as Monika Czinano scored 36 points in an overtime triumph over Drake on November 13, 2022.
Erin Achenbach is ClutchPoints’ Lead Women’s Sports Editor, where she advocates for more women’s sports coverage and media presence. The St. Louis native graduated from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism and has been covering community news for the past five years.
