In a venue adorned with No. 22 jerseys and shirts from floor to ceiling, Caitlin Clark made her entrance on Thursday night. She would emerge victorious by the end of the evening.
Seven minutes into the first quarter, Clark scored her first basket—a layup. The crowd erupted in applause when she sank a deep 3-pointer from the edge of the Fieldhouse logo late in the third quarter. The applause intensified further when she completed a three-point play a few minutes later.
Although it wasn’t the explosive start many had anticipated, Clark handled the pressure of the city’s most highly anticipated rookie debut since Peyton Manning’s arrival with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998.
The night only got sweeter for Caitlin Clark after the game ended. Following the Fever’s 83-80 win, the former Hawkeyes star reunited with teammate Gabbie Marshall, who was there to witness Clark’s first home game.