Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what’s next.
Caitlin Clark rewrites the record books
As Caitlin Clark’s remarkable college basketball career winds down, the Iowa native has made sure to leave her mark at the top of several NCAA all-time leaderboards.
During Iowa’s 93-83 over Ohio State in its regular-season finale on March 3, Clark surpassed LSU legend Pete Maravich’s career-scoring mark of 3,667 points to become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. Clark crossed the record by hitting a pair of free throws late in the first half and finished the game with 35 points and nine assists to secure a victory in her last game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
In the process of leading Iowa to a Big Ten Tournament title, Clark scored 86 points in three games to extend her scoring lead to 3,771 points (and counting) across her four-year career.
The Greatest of All Time. @CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/sbNpeU1zaY
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 3, 2024
Clark also elevated her name over name over the sport’s all-time greatest shooter, Steph Curry.
While leading the Hawkeyes to a 95-62 victory over Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, Clark hit her 163rd three-pointer on the season, passing Curry and Liberty’s Darius McGhee for the most makes from deep in a single season by an NCAA Division I basketball player of either gender.
College Football Playoff expansion controversy
In recent weeks, the College Football Playoff has discussed several changes to the sport’s postseason model to adjust to the shifting landscape caused by conference realignment.
As the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 participants for the first time in its decade-long history in 2024, the sport’s postseason governing body seeks to expand to 14 teams starting in 2026, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich.
In addition to expanding the field, the CFP Board of Directors also discussed the Big Ten and SEC’s proposition to have their respective champions be the only teams to receive first-round byes in the potential 14-team scenario.
This push from the Big Ten and SEC was met with fierce opposition from much of the college football landscape and, according to Dinich, the proposal has lost steam as a result.
“Automatic first-round byes for the Big Ten and SEC is like the NFL saying the Cowboys get a first-round bye since they have more fans than the Bengals," TCU head coach Sonny Dykes told ESPN last week.
As it stands, the College Football Playoff will utilize its 12-team format in 2024 and 2025, with the five highest-ranked conference champions receiving automatic bids — the top four of which will receive first-round byes — while the next seven highest-ranked teams will receive at-large bids.
Kyle Filipowski channels his inner Grayson Allen
Throughout his four-year Duke career, Grayson Allen gained a reputation as one of college basketball’s most notorious agitators.
Duke’s star center Kyle Filipowski took a page out of Allen’s playbook during the Blue Devils’ 84-79 loss to bitter rival North Carolina on Saturday. During the first half of the heated contest, Filipowski appeared to lift and extend his leg to impede Tar Heels forward Harrison Ingram, tripping him back onto the hardwood in the process.
Grayson? Is that you?
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 10, 2024
Kyle Filipowski trips Harrison Ingram. pic.twitter.com/FeeehdkiH8
Filipowski denied intentionally tripping Ingram after the loss, claiming he was just trying to get off the floor and accidentally tangled up with the North Carolina forward. Ingram wasn’t so sure about Filipowski’s explanation, however.
"I thought he (tripped me)," Ingram told ESPN. "I'm not sure if it was a basketball play or not."
You be the judge: was Filipowski’s trip intentional?
ICYMI
THE BUCKEYE 20: DENZEL BURKE, TREVEYON HENDERSON, CALEB DOWNS TOP INITIAL 2024 RANKINGS ENTERING SPRING PRACTICE
With spring camp opening on Tuesday, the Eleven Warriors staff offered their rankings of Ohio State’s top 20 players entering the start of spring football.
RYAN DAY EMBRACING CEO ROLE AS CHIP KELLY TAKES OVER AS OHIO STATE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is settling into his newfound CEO role after handing the keys to the Buckeye offense to his mentor, Chip Kelly.
OHIO STATE VS. IOWA WAS MOST-WATCHED REGULAR-SEASON WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME IN 25 YEARS
Ohio State’s trip to Iowa City for its regular-season finale against Clark and the Hawkeyes was the most-viewed regular-season women’s college basketball game since 1999.
WHAT’S NEXT
- Men’s Basketball: at Rutgers, Today, 2 p.m. (CBS)
- Women’s Basketball: NCAA Tournament Selection Show, March 17, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
- 34 Days: Ohio State’s spring football game
- 174 Days: Ohio State’s season-opener vs. Akron
- 265 Days: The Game
