The best to ever do it
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Good morning, sunshine!
How can you be as speedy as former Texas football wide receiver Xavier Worthy at the NFL Combine? Step 1: Stretch. Step 2: Take a running start into your week with this newsletter. On your mark!
— No. 6 Iowa women’s basketball senior guard Caitlin Clark meeting her hero, WNBA and UConn legend Maya Moore, just before breaking the NCAA Division I (DI) career scoring record yesterday. Clark met Moore once as a young girl, and she says that’s why she’s dedicated to greeting young fans today. Call it full-circle fangirling.
Caitlin Clark’s scoring record
🏀 A rapper, a pitcher, and a GOAT walk into an arena…
The GIST: As you read, No. 6 Iowa Hawkeye and generational talent Caitlin Clark broke the late “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old NCAA DI career scoring record in her final regular-season college game yesterday — yet another accomplishment to add to her mile-long list. Never a long shot.
How it happened: Compared to the logo three that broke the NCAA DI women’s career scoring record on February 15th, this historic shot was much less flashy: A sunk free throw pushed her past Maravich’s 3,667-point mark late in the first half of the Hawkeyes’ spicy 93–83 upset win over No. 2 Ohio State.
- Since Ohio State locked up the Big Ten regular-season title last Wednesday, Iowa’s Senior Day dub doesn’t change their postseason path. But it does build momentum heading into this week’s conference tourney, with a March Madness auto-bid up for grabs.
Her impact: Everyone from Clark’s rivals to the world’s cutest fans agrees that she’s leveled up the women’s game with her passion and skill. In her four years as a Hawkeye, this hometown girl put Iowa basketball on the map, drawing dollars, attention, and even the future talent to carry the program forward long after she’s turned pro.
- Her star power’s unmatched in the college game, women’s or men’s. Who else could bring MLB Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, rapper Travis Scott, women’s hoops legends Lynette Woodard and Maya Moore, and Jake from State Farm together in one electric crowd?
What’s next: After this season, Clark will head to April’s WNBA Draft, where she’ll likely be selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 overall pick (and no, she’ll probably not see an NIL pay cut). But first, she’ll be hunting the ultimate prize with her Hawkeyes: a national championship. Their postseason begins Friday, and from there, the sky’s the limit.
- No matter how Iowa fares in the NCAA tournament, you’ll likely see Clark on Final Four weekend as the women’s NCAA All-Star Game returns from an 18-year hiatus — another sign of the women’s game’s growth thanks to Clark and her similarly impactful peers.
Basketball
🏀 Vibe shift
The GIST: Caitlin Clark aside, the women’s basketball (WBB) regular season ended with a bang yesterday, and the men (MBB) are bearing down for knock-down, drag-out fights entering their season’s final week.
Momentum shifts in WBB: Like No. 6 Iowa’s aforementioned dub, Virginia’s, Washington’s, Washington State’s, and Kansas’ weekend wins over ranked opponents came too late to change their regular-season fates, but they did put their conferences on notice as tournaments begin later this week.
No. 4 Tennessee MBB takes a narrow lead: The Vols held off No. 14 Alabama Saturday, logging a key 81–74 win to take sole control of the chaotic SEC with just two regular-season games to go.
The No. 1 Houston men survive Oklahoma: Guard Jamal Shead’s last-second game-winner helped Houston escape Oklahoma’s furious comeback on Saturday. With their seventh straight dub, the Cougars maintain their delicate grasp on the cutthroat Big 12.
Injuries sink Davidson WBB’s season: Despite beginning this season 12-1, the Wildcats have canceled their final season game and their postseason due to an injury-depleted roster. Unlike TCU and Arizona, Davidson did not bolster their roster with walk-ons, leaving only seven players available during last week’s 45–40 Senior Night loss to George Washington. Tough.
Beyer finishes storied career: The Caitlin Clark of the NAIA hung up her sneakers on Saturday. University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis’ star senior completed her college career with an astounding 3,961 points (compared to Clark’s 3,685), placing her fifth for most points by a college player at any level, women’s or men’s. Incredible.
Big Ten men’s battle up next: The stakes are high for tomorrow’s 7 p.m. ET showdown between No. 2 Purdue and No. 13 Illinois on Peacock. Purdue, who clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title on Saturday, holds a one-game lead over the Illini — with an upset and some luck, Illinois could force the two-time reigning champ Boilermakers to split the ’ship.
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🥎 Softball
The unranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns plated the upset of the decade by downing the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners 7–5 yesterday, snapping the Sooners’ DI–record 71-game win streak in the process.
- The historic game’s star? Louisiana sophomore pitcher Chloe Riassetto, who threw an extra-inning complete game to hand Oklahoma their first home loss since February 29th, 2020. Goliath, meet David.
🤸 Gymnastics
Like their softball team, Oklahoma’s top-ranked men’s gymnastics team also suffered an upset Saturday, making their women’s gymnasts the only No. 1 Sooners squad to survive the weekend unscathed. The mat gals thrived in Friday’s 198.650–197.325 defeat of No. 7 Michigan, notching the NCAA’s fifth-highest team score ever, just one week after landing the fourth-highest. Boom(er).
🥍 Men’s lacrosse
Drake blared in lax stadiums up and down the East Coast as the nation’s top three teams all fell in upsets this weekend. No. 2 Virginia and No. 3 Maryland at least took losses to Top-10 teams…but what’s No. 1 Duke’s excuse?
⚾ Baseball
Several Top-25 teams were upset this weekend, but No. 4 Florida fell the hardest in Saturday’s 10–6 loss to Miami. Although they salvaged the series with wins Friday and yesterday, Florida will likely slide in this week’s poll…but then again, they’re still No. 4 despite two previous losses to unranked opponents, so maybe they’ll be lucky again.
Giveaway Alert
Looking for a getaway? Well, bust out your hiking gear because we want to give you the opportunity to explore Banff, Canada.
- This prize pack includes $500 cash for your flight, $500 towards your accommodations, gift cards, and so much more to create a memorable experience in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. See you soon, eh?
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
❣️ What to gush about
This friendship. AU Basketball star Tasha Cloud’s biggest fan Aubrey just started her own clothing company, featuring some pretty wholesome stuff. Adorable.
🏈 What to watch
American ice football. Whatever this is, there should be more of it.
💇 What to shop
Cécred. Beyoncé’s newly announced hair care line is up and running, featuring treatments that promise to moisturize, strengthen, and boost shine for all hair types and textures.
Today's email was brought to you by Katie Kehoe Foster, Karissa Dzurik, Monica Schrock, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Lindsay Jost and Isabella Troia. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Lisa Minutillo and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Lauren Tuiskula, and Dee Lab. Managing edits by Dee Lab. Head of Content Ellen Hyslop.