IOWA CITY, Iowa: Caitlin Clark knew with Iowa’s closing regular-season dwelling sport looming, it was time to make her resolution about whether or not to enter the WNBA draft or keep in faculty for a fifth season.

That’s why Clark introduced on Thursday that she would go to the WNBA on the finish of the season, following 4 historic seasons with the Hawkeyes. The announcement got here three days earlier than the sixth-ranked Hawkeyes host No. 2 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon.

“I believe simply going into Senior Night, having that call clear not just for myself, however our followers, my teammates. I believe that was tremendous necessary,” Clark said Friday. “And honestly, just getting the weight of the world off my shoulders and being able to enjoy this last month with my teammates, I think is the biggest thing.”

Clark is nearing the top of a record-setting profession with the Hawkeyes. She handed Kelsey Plum because the NCAA profession scoring chief on Feb. 15, then handed Lynette Woodard because the profession scoring chief in main faculty girls’s basketball in Wednesday’s sport in opposition to Minnesota. Clark, who has 3,650 profession factors, is closing in on Pete Maravich’s NCAA profession scoring document of three,667 factors.

Clark had a further 12 months of eligibility that the NCAA granted to all gamers who performed in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic within the 2020-21 season.

“I’d say, like, I’ve gone truthfully forwards and backwards a bit of bit, particularly early within the 12 months,” Clark said. “I think as the season played out, it became more clear to me. I know I said at the beginning of the year I definitely just kind of feel in my gut and know in my gut. And I think that’s exactly what happened.”

Clark stated she has recognized “for a short while” what she planned to do, adding that the coaching staff has been supportive as she made her decision.

“I mean, you’re obviously disappointed because you want her to come back. Right?” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder stated. “I imply, she’s an incredible participant, and we’d have cherished to have had her come again. But additionally, our job is to assist them for 4 years and to assist them as finest as we will and attempt to put together them for the following chapter of their lives. Her 4 years are up, despite the fact that she might come again for an additional 12 months. She’s prepared for a brand new problem.”

The Indiana Fever have the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft. Clark said she had not spoken with anyone from the Fever since she made her announcement.

The game Sunday at Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena is a sellout. A pair of courtside tickets were listed at $3,800 on StubHub on Friday morning.

Clark, the reigning national player of the year, led the Hawkeyes to the national championship game last season before losing to LSU. The entire home season featured sellout crowds, and few tickets, if any, were available for road games.

“We’ve said this before, but when Caitlin’s light shines, it shines on all of us,” ahead Kate Martin stated. “What Caitlin is doing individually impacts our whole crew, our whole program, our whole state, your complete nation. And that’s actually cool. We need the very best for Caitlin, we’ve at all times had that in thoughts. We need her to win all the awards. We really, genuinely, are very completely happy for her.”

Bluder stated she thought Clark has been extra relaxed since she made her resolution.

“Everyone was worried about the record, like, ‘Oh, she’s stressed out about the record,’” Bluder stated, referring to Clark’s pursuit of Plum’s scoring mark. “She was by no means wired concerning the document. She was wired about making this resolution.”

That stress is behind Clark now.

“I think any time you make a big decision and you’re confident in it, that’s just kind of what happens,” Clark stated. “And I believe that’s my largest focus going into the remainder of the 12 months. It’s simply smile, have enjoyable, play free. After this sport this weekend, we’re actually solely assured two video games. So I believe it’s simply having fun with each single second and taking part in and having enjoyable.”

___

Get alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here.

___

AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball