Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever returned to the court Sunday in an exhibition matchup against the Brazilian National Team, delivering a 108–44 win in front of a sellout crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game doubled as a homecoming for Clark, who starred at Iowa and remains a fan favorite across the state.
Early in the game, she gave the fans exactly what they came to see. From well beyond the arc, Clark stepped back and hit a three-pointer from 36 feet, a full foot behind the “22” painted on the court to honor the spot where she broke the NCAA all-time scoring record. The shot sent the 15,000 fans into a frenzy, marking the loudest moment of the afternoon.
After the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White was asked if she might need to rein in Clark’s ultra-deep shot selection. White didn’t hesitate in her answer. “That’s just who she is,” she told reporters.
“I mean, nobody tells Steph Curry not to take good shots, right?” White added. “When you’ve put in the work and you know your range, that’s part of what makes her special. It’s not just the distance, it’s the timing, the feel, and the confidence. You don’t coach that out of a player like her,” she stated.
Clark admitted she hadn’t ‘planned’ the shot
Speaking after the game, Clark reflected on what it meant to be back in Iowa. “These are the moments you never take for granted and you kinda just wanna stay in for forever,” she told reporters. “I had to give the fans a little something. I told you I was going to.”
Clark said the shot was instinctual. “I was like, ‘Ah, why not? Might as well launch one.’ And it went in,” she said, laughing. “You don’t always realize how far back you are, so I had to give the fans a little something,” she joked.
The Fever will now play against the Atlanta Dream on May 10 for their last preseason match before opening the WNBA season against Chicago Sky at home on May 17.