Iowa's Caitlin Clark Misses NCAA Scoring Record By 8 Points At Nebraska, So She Can Break It At Home

The stage was set for Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark to become NCAA women basketball's all-time leading career scorer on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon in front of a FOX national TV audience and sell-out crowd of 15,500 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.

"She's going to be one of the best college basketball players to ever play," Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said in pre-taped feature. He played San Francisco later Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

But Nebraska shut out Clark on 0 of 6 shooting in the fourth quarter as she finished eight points shy of the record with 31 in an 82-79 loss. 

Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark (22) was on pace to break the NCAA women's career scoring record Sunday at Nebraska, but she went 0-for-6 in the 4th quarter and finished eight points short. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

Clark will attempt to break the record at home, though, as No. 2 Iowa (22-3) will host Michigan (16-9) on Thursday (8 p.m., Peacock).

Caitlin Clark To Likely Break NCAA Women's Scoring Record Thursday

 She stands at 3,520 points in her four-year career. Former Washington Husky great Kelsey Plum has the record at 3,527 through four seasons from 2013-17.

Nebraska (16-8) beat Iowa for the first time since the 2019-20 season - the year before Clark started playing for Iowa.

"We didn't shut her down," Nebraska coach Amy Williams said through tears. "I know she got in the 30s. We haven't found a way to crack the code, but we'll take it. This is big time."

Clark came in averaging 32 points a game and needed 39 to break the record. She finished 10 of 25 from the field and 5 of 15 from 3-point range. She was her typical balanced and versatile self though, dishing out 10 assists with eight rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots, much like former Texas Tech star Sheryl Swoopes. 

Swoopes put up similar across-the-box numbers during her spectacular career in the early 1990s. Swoopes came under criticism last week for criticizing Clark's game with incorrect information.  

Clark came close to the record 303 miles away from the Iowa campus in Iowa City, but it did not sound like it on the FOX national telecast. Fans in Lincoln began lining up outside Pinnacle at 6 a.m. with the line eventually stretching for several blocks around the arena to see the Taylor Swift of college basketball.

Is Iowa Caitlin Clark The Taylor Swift Of College Basketball?

A sign in the arena said, "Taylor Swift Who? We have Caitlin Clark."

And Clark had eight security escorts as she left the court. Clark entered the game leading the NCAA in scoring (32.2 points a game), assists per game (8.2) and in 3-pointers per game (5.25). But in the end she was off as Nebraska outscored her 27-0 and Iowa, 27-10, in the fourth quarter.

Nebraska senior Jaz Shelley stole the show with a 3-pointer with 30.2 seconds to play to give Nebraska its first lead of the game at 78-77. Clark missed a 3-pointer seconds later for her fifth straight miss of the final quarter. Shelley hit two free throws with 18.1 to go for an 80-77 Nebraska lead, and the Cornhuskers held on. Shelley finished with 23 points and five assists.  

Clark had seven points, two rebounds and two assists in the first quarter on 3-of-7 shooting with one 3-pointer in four attempts as she appeared on her way to the record. She had 17 at the half on 7-of-15 shooting (3 of 8 from 3-point range) with five assists and two rebounds.

NCAA Women's Career Scoring Record Was Right There 

Entering the fourth quarter, Clark was nine points away from the record with 31 points on 10-of-19 shooting (5 of 11 from 3-point range) along with eight assists and six rebounds.

The fourth quarter collapse, however, will set up a night to remember in Iowa City.