Caitlin Clark's dominance at Iowa came roaring back into the national conversation on Sunday, November 1, when Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo opened her season with a 32-point, seven-rebound, eight-assist performance in a 99-75 win over Villanova. A stat posted afterward showed how far Hidalgo still has to go to catch the former Hawkeye star.
According to Yahoo Sports, the account Real App noted that Hidalgo has now recorded nine games with a 30-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist stat line. Clark, playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes, did it 40 times.
Fans Remember What Iowa Watched for Four Years
The comparison spread quickly across social media, and fans who followed Clark's college career did not need a reminder of what she meant to Iowa basketball.
“Iowa CC was an animal,” one fan wrote on X.
Clark's numbers at Iowa back up the sentiment. In 139 games wearing the black and gold, she averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. She shot 46.2% from the field, 37.7% from three-point range and 85.8% from the free-throw line, numbers that made her one of the most productive players the college game has ever seen.
As Basketball Network reported, Clark broke the NCAA's all-time scoring record, led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship games and collected nearly every major individual honor along the way. For Iowa fans, those runs to the 2023 and 2024 title games turned Carver-Hawkeye Arena into the center of the basketball world.
How Hidalgo Stacks Up So Far
Hidalgo is a tremendous player in her own right. Her 32-point outing against Villanova was a statement win for the Fighting Irish to open the season.
Still, the gap between her and Clark is wide. In her first three seasons at Notre Dame, Hidalgo has averaged 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, according to Yahoo Sports. Clark's career averages beat her in every category, and the 30-5-5 game count of 40 to nine shows how often Clark delivered complete performances on the biggest stages.
Hidalgo's college career is not finished, but matching Clark's pace would require a level of sustained excellence that no player in the women's game has matched in recent memory.
Clark Thriving in the WNBA
Clark's legend has only grown since leaving Iowa City. She is now the face of the Indiana Fever and, as Hawk Central reported, she was named to the 2026 All-WNBA First Team after a season in which she averaged 22.3 points, 8.3 assists and 4 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 44.6% from the field.
She did that while playing 43 games between the regular season and playoffs, bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. Her Wikipedia page now lists her among the greatest female collegiate players ever, a designation Iowa fans watched her earn in real time.
Even NBA Stars Are Impressed
Clark's star power extends well beyond the WNBA. Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey met Clark for the first time Wednesday when his team visited Gainbridge Fieldhouse to play the Pacers.
After the Sixers won, Maxey spoke about the encounter in a clip posted by the IndyStar.
“I think that was my first time really meeting her. Honestly, that's just another person that I like to watch. She's cold, she's nice. Seeing her today was really cool. Sometimes you try not to fan out, but it was really cool seeing her. It's her building; she plays here too,” Maxey said.
Maxey shared the moment with LeBron James, Clark's fellow Nike athlete. Clark and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had even lobbied James over the summer to join Indiana for his 24th NBA season, though James ultimately stayed in Los Angeles.
A Future Rivalry Worth Watching
Clark and Hidalgo have never shared a WNBA floor, but that day is coming. Hidalgo is projected as a future top WNBA draft pick, and a Clark versus Hidalgo matchup would echo the rivalries Clark already has with Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
Those matchups turned the WNBA into appointment viewing, and Hidalgo's arrival would give the league another marquee head-to-head battle. For Iowa fans, it would also be a chance to watch the player who put Hawkeye basketball on the map go up against the sport's next big thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 30-5-5 games did Caitlin Clark have at Iowa?
According to Real App, as reported by Yahoo Sports, Clark recorded 40 games with at least 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists during her Iowa career. Hannah Hidalgo has nine such games at Notre Dame.
What were Caitlin Clark's career averages at Iowa?
Clark averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game across 139 games with the Hawkeyes, while shooting 46.2% from the field and 37.7% from three.
How is Caitlin Clark performing in the WNBA?
Clark was named to the 2026 All-WNBA First Team after averaging 22.3 points and 8.3 assists per game for the Indiana Fever, according to Hawk Central.