ARLINGTON, Texas — Much more than 3 hrs prior to Caitlin Clark produced her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever in an exhibition video game towards the Dallas Wings on Friday night, some supporters among the sellout group had been lined up outside the arena dressed in No. 22 University of Iowa jerseys.
And Clark place on a present.
The two-time NCAA women’s basketball participant of the calendar year led all very first-50 percent scorers with 16 details in 16 minutes and concluded with a group-significant 21 details in the Fever’s 79-76 decline. She was 6 of 15 from the subject which include 5 of 13 from deep, and had 3 rebounds, two helps, 4 fouls and 5 turnovers.
Her 21 factors tied for the video game superior with Dallas rookie Jaelyn Brown.
She even had a probability to send the video game into overtime. Dallas’ winning basket by Arike Ogunbowale came with three seconds left and Clark’s 3-level endeavor from the ideal corner at the buzzer fell limited.
Clark’s 1st professional basket arrived on a 28-foot 3-pointer close to the left sideline less than a minute into engage in. She strike four 3-tips in the half and included two of 3 free of charge throws when fouled on a shot at the rear of the arc.
She was scoreless in the 3rd period of time and sat for the closing 5 minutes right after accumulating her fourth foul.
Christina Edge, who lived in Iowa for 35 decades prior to going to the Dallas suburb of Rowlett a few decades ago, was one of the lovers who showed up early. She stated arriving that early at the College of Texas-Arlington’s University Park Center would raise her likelihood of landing a picture with the basketball phenomenon who was the two-time nationwide participant of the 12 months with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
“It’s my birthday,” reported Edge, who claimed her son gave her the ticket as a birthday gift, “and I just want a photograph with her!” She carried a shiny yellow posterboard sign promoting that plea.
Pailynn Amos, 9, was also outside the house the arena putting on a yellow Clark jersey with her own indication — “When I develop up I wanna be just like her.”
Rebecca Amos, Pailynn’s mom, manufactured the close to hour-very long generate from the town of Ennis.
“I viewed her (on Television) like mad,” Rebecca mentioned. “So, she (Pailynn) just form of grew to her. Then we have been like, ‘Wow, now she’s in Dallas.’ We could in fact go see her!”
Clark obtained a rousing ovation before tipoff when released with Indiana’s starters.
Although Clark had a lot of supporters in attendance, Wings followers didn’t give her a go. As she dribbled past her defender at midcourt all through the initial half, a person girl shouted, “Get her! Get her!”
The WNBA’s initial preseason activity was played the exact same night time that the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks hosted the LA Clippers in Sport 6 of a to start with-spherical playoff series about 20 miles away.
The exhibition recreation was the first of two for the Fever ahead of Clark will make her common-year debut on May 14 at the Connecticut Sunshine.
The activity marketed out all 6,251 seats quickly soon after it was introduced on Dallas’ schedule, precisely requested by Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb shortly right after Clark declared in February she would leave college for the WNBA with a single year of eligibility remaining. Indiana received the lottery for this year’s initially select very last December.
A regional tv crew recorded the Fever’s arrival at DFW Worldwide Airport on Thursday. Through Clark’s media session on Friday morning, she resolved the ask for to indication a couple’s ultrasound image.
“That was certainly a first,” she explained with a snicker.
“It’s seriously good that Caitlin’s bringing all this awareness to women’s basketball, so I’m genuinely grateful for that,” Wings heart Kalani Brown claimed. “It’s excellent for our match.”
“This is what women’s basketball has deserved for really some time now,” said Fever centre Aliyah Boston, past season’s WNBA rookie of the calendar year and the women’s collegiate participant of the yr before Clark’s run. “It’s superior late than under no circumstances. I’m definitely thrilled for what is to occur for this league.”
The Wings previous thirty day period said they had offered out their year-ticket allotment, which accounts for about 2,500 seats.
Indiana will return to College Park Centre to participate in twice throughout the frequent year, on July 17 in the last activity in advance of the WNBA’s just about thirty day period-extended Olympic hiatus and just one working day following the MLB All-Star Sport is performed at the Texas Rangers’ house stadium much less than a few miles away. The Fever also perform there Sept. 1.
