History has it eyes on her

The GIST: Folks, she’s done it. No. 4 Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark is now the all-time NCAA women’s basketball leading scorer, sealing the deal with a signature logo three, before dropping a career-high 49 points in last night’s 106–89 win over Michigan. The best part? She’s nowhere near done yet.

How it happened: After coming up short in a Super Bowl Sunday upset loss to Nebraska, Clark wasted no time breaking the record last night, getting the job done in the first three minutes as part of the stunning scoring and 13-assist effort.

The impact: The Caitlin Clark Effect warrants revisiting. Tickets for last night’s historic showdown reached astronomical prices, her games have become appointment viewing, and her knack for adding to her highlight reels with jaw-dropping shots and smooth passes creates a never-ending stream of viral moments. The world just can’t look away.

What’s next: Along with the non-NCAA records, Clark will now chase down former LSU and NBA star Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old all-time NCAA scoring record as her Hawkeyes look ahead to next month’s March Madness, where Clark first captured the nation’s attention last season.

• Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the 2024 WNBA Draft is also on everyone’s mind, as Clark still has another year of NCAA eligibility and could return to Iowa for a fifth season.

• She’s been tight-lipped about whether or not she’ll go pro, saying, “I’m just going to trust my gut and go with that.” It sure has worked so far.

The GIST: NBA All-Star Weekend has arrived, featuring three nights of star-studded events, highlighted by tomorrow’s Stephen Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-Point Challenge. Read up on all the fun ahead before letting us know which swish god you think will reign supreme.

Panini Rising Stars, tonight at 9 p.m. ET: Twenty-eight NBA rookies, sophomores, and G League (the NBA’s feeder league) players will square off in a three-game mini tournament tonight.

• Keep your eyes on San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren because the tension between these ultra-talented, long-limbed newbies has been building all season long.

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET: Following the Kia Skills Challenge and the Starry 3-Point Contest comes the most highly anticipated battle of the sexes since 1973: Stephen vs. Sabrina.

• Curry is the NBA’s all-time three-point leader while Ionescu is the WNBA’s single-season three-point record holder. And adding to the stakes, Ionescu will take her shots from the NBA three-point line (further back than the W’s) in this first-of-its-kind charity battle.

• Then after the swishfest, it’s time for the AT&T Slam Dunk contest, featuring returning champion, G Leaguer Mac McClung. Move over, Ben Affleck — the real Dunk-king is ready.

73rd All-Star Game (ASG), Sunday at 8 p.m. ET: The ASG will return to its original East vs. West format, featuring four 12-minute quarters and a traditional scoring system. One thing to expect? Lots of buckets and very little defense.

• The Eastern Conference squad is captained by Milwaukee Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced YAHN-iss ah-dedo-KOON-bo) and features debut All-Stars Jalen Brunson (NY Knicks) as well as Toronto Raptor Scottie Barnes, along with 2023 ASG MVP, Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum.

• And leading the Western Conference team is none other than LA Laker LeBron James, who is making his record 20th (!!!) All-Star appearance alongside 2023 Finals MVP Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and first-timer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder. Shine bright, shine far.

ICYMI, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season is in full swing. That’s right, the world’s best women’s hockey players have a sustainable, cross-border league to play in for the first time.

Six squads (including three U.S. teams: NY, Boston, and Minnesota) featuring 138 athletes are competing in the inaugural season, and with Team USA superstars like Boston’s Hilary Knight and NY’s Alex Carpenter tearing up rinks, there’s never been a better time to become a fan.

Women’s sports need your support, so check your calendar, grab a friend, and lock in your season, half-season, or single-game tickets today, or find out where to tune in from your comfy couch.

🎓🥎 Clearwater Invitational: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 9 Stanford — Today at 3 p.m. ET — ESPN2

• There’s a weekend chock-full of Sunshine State softball on deck, highlighted by these 2023 Women’s College World Series semi-finalists swinging for the fences in this star-studded 16-team tourney.

🏒 PWHL: Montréal vs. Toronto — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — YouTube

• Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will host their first-ever PWHL game in this Battle on Bay Street with the largest-ever pro women’s hockey crowd expected to fill the seats.

⛳ PGA: Genesis Open — Ongoing through Sunday — Golf Channel

• American Patrick Cantlay is controlling the greens through the first round at the Riviera Country Club, but three-time major champion Jordan Spieth sits just two strokes behind him in the third Signature Event of the season.

🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 10 USC vs. No. 11 Oregon State — Sunday at 3 p.m. ET — Pac-12 Network

• After facing No. 9 UCLA tonight, the surging Beavers will take on freshman star JuJu Watkins and the Trojans in this highly anticipated Pac-12 clash. Madness, loading.