Remembering Kelsey Plum's historic UW career with NCAA scoring ...

A few hours before Super Bowl LVIII, the sports world will turn its attention to Lincoln, Nebraska where Iowa sensation Caitlin Clark is poised to make history and pass former Washington Huskies star Kelsey Plum to become the NCAA women’s basketball all-time scoring leader.

Only 38 points separates Clark and Plum.

“I would rather have her break it at home,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder when asked about Sunday’s 10 a.m. PT game at Nebraska. “I think our Carver-Hawkeye fans deserve that. But believe me, our No. 1 priority will be to win the game at Nebraska.”

If Clark doesn’t eclipse Plum on Sunday — and it’s entirely possible considering she averages 32.2 points per game and has tallied 11 40-point games during her brilliant career — then Plum’s record will likely fall Thursday night when Iowa hosts Michigan in front of a capacity 14,998 crowd that’s sold out every home game this season.

“I’m actually very grateful to pass that baton,” Plum said last week during a video call at the USA Basketball women’s team camp before participating in the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgium. “I’m very happy for her.”

To commemorate the record-setting milestone, here’s 3,527 — err, check that — here are 10 observations on Plum, the greatest player in UW women’s basketball history.

1. Oh, what a night

The record book says 6,775 fans were at Alaska Airlines Arena on Feb. 25, 2017 when Plum became the all-time scoring leader in NCAA women’s basketball, but it felt like so many more.

By the end of the night, seemingly the crowd swelled and an overflow of spectators stood in the aisles hoping to catch a glimpse of the 5-foot-8 diminutive dynamo who delivered a once-in-a-lifetime performance.

No one inside the building, including roughly two dozen of Plum’s family members and friends, who flew in from her hometown Poway, Calif. to attend Senior Night, expected a history-making performance.

And when it was over, Plum delivered a 57-point masterpiece while carrying the Huskies to an 84-77 victory against Utah.

In 39 spellbinding minutes, she converted 19 of 28 field goals, including 6 of 11 three-pointers and made 13 of 16 free throws. It was the most points ever scored by a UW player in a single game, man or woman.

2. Kind words from Jackie Stiles

Former Missouri State star Jackie Stiles held the NCAA career and single-season scoring records for nearly 16 years before Plum came along.

After Plum’s record-setting game, Stiles sent her a text that read: “I just wanted to tell u how amazing I think u and your game are! Well deserved and make sure u enjoy every second of this journey u are on, u deserve it! Keep getting buckets! Rooting u on from afar! Your #1 fan, Jackie #10.”

3. Last game at UW

During a 2019 Seattle Times interview, Plum said one of her favorite memories at UW was her last game at Alaska Airlines Arena — a 108-82 rout against Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA tournament when she scored 38 points and broke the NCAA’s single-season scoring record in front of 7,579.

“That was pretty special to me because the crowd stayed,” she said. “We were up by a bunch of points, but they stayed until the end. That just meant a lot because most people would have just left. So that was pretty cool.”

4. Four months of brilliance

Plum began her senior season with a sensational 32-point performance. She averaged a whopping 31.7 points during 35 games and finished with 1,109 points.

Clark has 772 points and she’s 337 points away from surpassing Plum’s record. At her current pace, Clark needs 11 games to break the mark, which would require No. 2-ranked Iowa to play at least five postseason games.

5. This Plum record will last a long time

Clark will overtake Plum for the most points scored in a career, but the former UW star is going to hold onto her NCAA career free throw record: 912.

Clark is the next active player on the all-time list at ninth with 726.

6. The achievement that eluded Plum

Privately, Plum was bummed about narrowly missing out on a chance to join the exclusive “180 Club” or “50-40-90 Club” that’s reserved for the game’s elite shooters who average at least 50% from the field, 40% on three-pointers and 90% at the free-throw line during a season.

Plum shot 52.9% on FGs, 42.8% on 3-pointers and 88.7% on free throws during her senior season.

7. An avalanche of awards

In 2017, Plum essentially swept the postseason national awards. She collected the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith and Wade trophies for player of the year, the Dawn Staley Award for top guard, and the Nancy Lieberman Award for top point guard.

She was also named national player of the year by the AP, ESPN, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and Pac-12.

8. The burden to be great was heavy

Recently, Plum has spoken candidly about dealing bouts of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts while chasing the scoring record. She relied on antidepressants, sleeping pills and medications to cope with her off-court struggles.

“I was living on the edge in terms of just trying to make it through the day,” Plum said during a 2022 interview with Just Women’s Sports. “It was brutal,” she says. “I want to be clear that this is not anybody’s fault. Nobody knew I was hurting. I didn’t tell anyone that I was hurting.”

Last week, Plum reiterated that breaking the scoring record wasn’t a fond memory.

“I remember, to be honest, [the record] was very much a low point in my life,” Plum said. “It felt like a lot of pressure, and my identity was kind of caught up in that record. I hope everyone in the media takes time to understand that (Clark) is not just a basketball player, but a young woman that has feelings and emotions. She carries it with grace, but there’s a lot to handle there.

“If anything, make sure that we show her love outside of her performance. She’ll break it. I’m excited for her.”

9. A little love to Plum’s supporting cast

As great as Plum was, the 2016-17 Huskies, which finished 29-6, 15-3 in the Pac-12 and advanced to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16, weren’t a one-woman show.

Forward Chantel Osahor, an Associated Press second-team All-American, set several Pac-12 and school rebounding records while leading the nation with 15.3 boards per game. She averaged 15.8 points and paired with Plum to comprise a dynamic inside-out threat.

The other starters included guards Natalie Romeo and Aari McDonald and forward Katie Collier, while forwards Heather Corral and Hannah Johnson were the top reserves for coach Mike Neighbors.

“It’s not easy when all the spotlight is on one person,” Osahor said. “I really respect how (Plum and Clark) go about in the media, always giving a lot of credit to their teammates and their coaches.”

10. Forever 10

Fifteen players have worn No. 10 at Washington, but no one has donned the jersey since Plum graduated in 2017 and it’s unlikely that anyone will ever were the number again.

The Huskies are working with Plum to retire her jersey, perhaps as early as next season.

“She’s certainly deserving,” UW coach Tina Langley said. “I want that to happen and support whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Plum would be the first UW women’s player to have her jersey retired.

Other UW athletes with retired jerseys at Alaska Airlines Arena include: Bob Houbregs (25), Brandon Roy (3) and Isaiah Thomas (2) in basketball and volleyball players Krista Vansant (16) and Courtney Thompson (3).