Caitlin Clark struggles during Indiana Fever home debut
By Jacob Lev and Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Caitlin Clark struggled to make much of an impact in her home debut on Thursday, as the Indiana Fever fell to the New York Liberty 102-66.
The superstar did show flashes of her potential, though, as she continues to get used to life in the WNBA, totalling nine points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Clark said the physicality of the league is something she still has to get used to before she can start producing her best performance on court.
“The game seems a little fast for me right now. The more I play and the more comfortable I get, it’s going to slow down a little bit. It will be easier for me to make reads, see things develop,” she said, per ESPN.
A sellout crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse came to watch Clark make her home debut, with 17,247 spectators witnessing the 22-year-old’s first steps in the league.
Before tip-off, Clark got a raucous ovation from Fever fans as she was introduced.
“People are excited,” Clark said, per WNBA.com. “Like when I was driving here, people on the streets are in Fever gear.
“You can just feel the buzz and excitement around this team, not only for this game tonight but just the entire season.”
Clark’s former University of Iowa coaches Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen were in attendance to watch their former star.
Earlier this week, the 63-year-old Bluder announced her retirement after 24 years at the helm of the Hawkeyes and finished as the winningest women’s basketball coach in Big Ten history. Jensen will take over as head coach starting next season.
Earlier this week, the rookie had scored 20 points in her full WNBA debut which ended in a 92-71 loss to the Connecticut Sun.
She committed 10 turnovers in that game, though, and said she would’ve liked to have played better during her debut game.
There were slight improvements on Thursday, with Clark only committing three turnovers against New York Liberty.
“It’s a process and she’s going to be fine,” Fever coach Christie Sides said Thursday, per WNBA.com.
“She just needs to get a little bit of confidence right now. I think she’s taking shots that she normally would knock down.”
While her performances have been mixed so far, the Clark-mania has certainly not slowed down.
Her full WNBA debut on Tuesday drew an average of 2.1 million viewers on ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, making it the most watched WNBA game in more than two decades.
The matchup also marked the first time Disney+ has streamed a live sports game, peaking with an average of 2.3 million viewers, ESPN said.
The Fever will next take on the Liberty again Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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