Caitlin Clark’s record came at a perfect time for Iowa to focus on March goals

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Confetti shot across the Carver-Hawkeye Arena playing surface as Iowa’s players pulled on black T-shirts and grabbed commemorative issues of The Des Moines Register with the headline “Unmatched.”

The shirts read, “You break it, you own it.” There were tears and prolonged chants of “one more year” reaching 115 decibels. The moment was celebratory and splendid for Caitlin Clark, her Iowa teammates, the staff and the fans who crowded the sold-out mecca of women’s college basketball.

Clark needed only 2 minutes and 12 seconds to score 8 points and topple the NCAA career scoring record held by Kelsey Plum. Appropriately, the basket that put Clark over the top was a 33-foot 3-pointer from just inside half court.

By the end of the night in an oh-by-the-way 106-89 win against Michigan, Clark also crushed the Iowa single-game scoring mark with 49 points, one better than the program’s previous greatest player, Megan Gustafson. Clark also dished 13 assists and was directly responsible for 79 points, which according to ESPN, was the most by a Division I player in any game in the last 25 years.

Clark’s teammates hoisted her on their shoulders briefly before she motioned for them to put her down. She then met the throng of young fans and signed…