The more Caitlin Clark plays, the closer her Iowa career is to coming to an end.
Before that day comes, whether it's this year or next, she'll become arguably the best NCAA basketball player to exist, man or woman. She's on track to break the Division I scoring record, likely reaching that mark before the regular season is even over.
However, before Clark became a Hawkeye, women's college basketball was dominated by Sabrina Ionescu.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, the Oregon sensation had her own list of historic accolades. She was the first player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists in their career, and she posted 26 triple-doubles, smashing the previous record of 12. Ionescu was also the National Player of the Year her final season, which was cut short due to COVID-19.
Soon enough, Clark and Ionescu will face off in the WNBA as the best in their classes, but before that happens, take a look at how their collegiate careers compare.
MORE: Inside Caitlin Clark's dominance over her first 126 games at Iowa
Caitlin Clark vs. Sabrina Ionescu: Stats to know
Points
Clark became the NCAA women's basketball all-time leading scorer on Feb. 15 against Michigan. She scored a career-high 49 to reach 3,569 career points through 126 games. That number will climb in Iowa's four remaining regular season games plus the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Ionescu competed from 2017-20. Despite a shortened senior season, she reached 2,562 points through 142 games. It's significantly less than Clark's career accomplishments, but the former Duck didn't come out of the gate swinging. She scored just 481 points her freshman season, and despite starting every game she played in her career, Ionescu wasn't as prolific of a shooter as Clark is.
It's worth noting the 2020 Ducks were a much more balanced team than Iowa is now. They also score less. Oregon averaged 86.0 points per game while the Hawkeyes average 92.7.
Clark simply shoots more than Ionescu did in college (19.9 vs. 14.0 shots per game in their careers), and she also carries a bigger load. She scores an average of 18.4 more points than Iowa's second-best scorer. Meanwhile, Ionescu averaged 0.2 more points per game than Oregon's next-highest scorer.
Clark averages 28.3 points per game, noticeably Ionescu's average of 18.0. This season, Clark leads the nation with 32.8 points per game.
3-pointers
The biggest difference between Clark and Ionescu's college careers is from behind the arc.
The now-Liberty guard is known for her 3-point shots. In the 2023 WNBA 3-point contest, Ionescu scored 37 points, the most ever scored in the WNBA or NBA contest. She'll go up against Steph Curry in a special 2023 NBA All-Star event to really show off her skills.
MORE: NBA players make their picks for Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu in All-Star 3-point challenge
Throughout her college career, Ionescu hit 329-of-778 3-pointers, good for 42.2 percent.
Clark's accuracy is much lower, 38.3 percent, but she takes many more shots from behind the arc. Of the 1,271 attempts, the Hawkeye has made 487. A logo triple is her signature shot, and, of course, it's what secured her scoring record on Thursday.
Caitlin Clark breaks the record in the most Caitlin Clark way possible 🔥
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 16, 2024
🎥: @HawkeyeReport
pic.twitter.com/pJM7uiFcUN
Free throws
Clark spends significantly more time at the free throw line than Ionescu did.
The Hawkeye averages 6.8 attempts per game, good for 863 shots total, compared to 3.5 attempts (497) for Ionescu. They have a similar success rate, with Clark making her shot 85.7 percent of the time, slightly better than Ionescu's 85.1 career mark.
Those free throw points certainly add up in a hurry.
Shooting percentage
While a 47.5 shooting percentage sounds good, it falls in the middle of the pack this season. Clark's season average, which is higher than her career average, still falls at 102nd best in Division I. It takes more to excel in the game, but with greater risk comes greater reward.
The Iowan's shot accuracy has largely remained the same throughout her four seasons. It comes in at 46.8 percent for her career. Meanwhile, Ionescu improved greatly from her freshman year to her senior season, going from 39.0 percent in Year 1 to 51.8 percent in Year 4. All in all, she averaged 45.5 percent as a Duck.
MORE: Caitlin Clark (temporary) scoring record asterisk, explained
Assists
The two are known for their scoring abilities, but it's often forgotten how well Clark and Ionescu share the ball.
Clark has twice led the nation in scoring and assists, 2022 and '23, and has 1,018 dimes in her career. Ionescu recorded 1,091 assists through four seasons and led the country her senior season. She was third as a junior.
The difference isn't that significant, but Oregon's more balanced attack likely played a big role.
Still, Iowa averages the most points per game in the nation this season. Clark will likely finish her collegiate career with more assists than Ionescu. If she continues to average 8.5 assists per game, she needs just nine more games to hit the mark.
