Bow down to Kelsey Plum

KAS
Mar 2, 2017
2 min read

The University of Washington fight song lyrics begin with "bow down to Washington" but after UW women's basketball player Kelsey Plum had a history-making performance Saturday night, I think it's high-time we change the words around a bit.

"Bow down to Kelsey Plum..." just seems more fitting now.

Kelsey Plum University of Washington breaks scoring record

Because HOLY SMOKES PEOPLE. The UW senior scored 57 points setting a school record for most points in a single game and taking over the all-time scoring list for the entire NCAA. Yup, Plum is now the leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball history with 3,397 points.

In addition to passing Jackie Stiles for the NCAA crown, Plum also currently leads the entire NCAA, male and female, with an average of 31.6 ppg. This was highlighted by her record-breaking performance against Utah on Saturday, where she scored 57 of her team's 84 points that night. For you mathletes out there, that's 67.9%.

Yup, this girl is for real.

We hear so much about Brandon Roy, Isaiah Thomas, Nate Robinson and all other U-Dub greats but these fellas need to scoot aside because Kelsey Plum is one of the most talented players this program has seen - male or female.

Yes, these guys were great. And as a Washington-native and Trail Blazer fan, I'm always a bit biased in favor of these players but you really can’t deny Plum’s ability.

Maybe it’s her humble personality, maybe it’s her name – either way, this girl is exciting and embodies exactly what She Got Game is all about. Plum is strong, talented, successful and just so happens to be a female. Yeah, she stacks up well against women but she also throws down records set by men as well.

Plum isn’t one of the current collegiate “greats” because her gender made people go easy on her. If anything, it’s the opposite. Women’s basketball doesn’t get as many spectators or TV viewers and in order to make a name for yourself in basketball’s world, women truly earn their recognition.

Kelsey Plum doesn’t go into every game with the attention a collegiate player averaging 31.6 ppg deserves but she still shows up, laces up and leaves a solid performance on the court night after night. She still puts up her shots. She still earns her time. She still scores 57 points in a single game.

She’s a female but she’s also a phenomenal athlete. She’s a great women's basketball player but she also just a great basketball player, period. No need for the qualifying gender.

Bow down to Kelsey Plum. She got game.