Yes Boilermakers, Caitlin Clark is the greatest women's player to visit Mackey Arena

WEST LAFAYETTE — The spinning rotation and the split-second gasp of the crowd told the story at Mackey Arena when Caitlin Clark took her first 3-pointer during her fifth and final matchup against Purdue women's basketball.

The fever of Clark-mania captured the imaginations of the fourth ever women's basketball sellout at Mackey Arena. Boys girls alike dawned the No. 22 Iowa jerseys and made signs. Clark had Beatles-like attention, especially in Indiana.

Before playing the Final Four against UConn, Clark has now established herself as one of the greatest college athletes ever. That includes being now the greatest visiting women's basketball player to visit Mackey Arena.

Mackey Arena had been the only college sports venue Clark hadn't sank a 3-pointer before Jan. 10, 2024.

And even after Clark had cooked Purdue for 18 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for her 15th career triple-double, more convincing was still needed before she could be crowned the greatest opposition the Boilermakers had ever faced.

The future was uncertain at that point. Clark hadn't surpassed both Pistol Pete Maravich and Lynette Woodard for the most points in NCAA history — male or female and hadn't beaten her rivals from LSU in the NCAA Tournament.

More: Where does Caitlin Clark rank among top women's players to visit Purdue's Mackey Arena?

Statistical history obtained and signature wins against LSU and UConn — the latter in the Final Four semifinal Saturday night — in this year's NCAA Tournament have erased any doubt about any creases in her mental and emotional state.

Clark is now one win away from having everything. Iowa beat fully loaded UConn with Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards. Even when she struggled in the first half, the face of women's basketball kept her poise. Awaiting Clark and the Hawkeyes, though is No. 1 and undefeated South Carolina Sunday night in Cleveland.

She eviscerated LSU as Hailey Van Lith and Angel Reese struggled to contain the Des Moines native.

Signature wins abound, too many personal accolades to account and capturing the hearts and finds of girls and boys across the country. Many of whom dream to be like No. 22.

The coming of Clark will be the ignition that lifts the WNBA to greater heights. Her anticipation of joining the Indiana Fever has the entire state, the entire country buzzing. From South Bend to Evansville and everywhere in between, including the Greater Lafayette Area and across the U.S.

Clark has been christened by both fans and her own contemporaries. She changed narratives and spotlighted the greatness of women's basketball when being given the platform to be seen by millions.

Hindsight isn't reserved for sports reporters who dare not look too far into the future. It's important to not overstate what is being seen in the moment and let emotion take control of logic.

Clark has checked all the boxes whether she wins or losses on Sunday. Sports is measured in context. Not just in championships, but in the eyes of witnesses, rivals and respect that is earned both on and off the court.

Basketball in the 1980s needed Bird and Magic to propel it to new heights. The 2020s now give us Caitlin Clark for the exact same purpose.

Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@gannett.com, on Twitter at EthanAHansonand Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Caitlin Clark is the greatest women's basketball player to visit Mackey Arena