Caitlin Clark Stats tonight: Fever No. 1 pick torches Dallas Wings in WNBA Preseason debut but misses game-tying 3 (May 3)

Indiana Fever prized rookie Caitlin Clark flexed her scoring prowess in their preseason game against the Dallas Wings on Friday but it was not enough to lead her team to the win, as they bowed, 79-76.

The former University of Iowa standout finished with a team-high 21 points, to go along with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 28 minutes in their road game.

She hit 5-of-13 from beyond the arc, three coming in the first quarter, while also helping facilitate plays for her team as they try to shape up for the upcoming season of the WNBA.

The Fever stood toe-to-toe with the Wings, but a triple from Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale with three seconds to go pinned them out, 79-76.

Caitlin Clark had an opportunity to tie the count as regulation expired but her three-point heave failed to hit the mark.

Clark and the Fever play their final preseason game on May 9 against the Atlanta Dream at home.

Fans come out to catch Caitlin Clark's first WNBA game

As a further testament to her widespread popularity, road fans in Dallas came out to catch prized rookie Caitlin Clark playing her first WNBA game for the Indiana Fever on Friday.

As per a report from Yahoo Sports, around 7,000 fans trekked to the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, for the Fever’s preseason game against the hometown Wings.

Clark, the top overall pick in this year’s WNBA rookie draft after a decorated career at the University of Iowa, was warmly received by the fans right from the player introduction.

The 22-year-old dynamo did not disappoint in her first game as a professional, scoring a team-high 21 points on 5-of-13 shooting from three. She also had three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 28 minutes of play.

In the end, though, it was the home team Wings who held sway, winning, 79-76, thanks to a game-winning triple from guard Arike Ogunbowale with eight seconds to go in the game.

Clark had the chance to level the count and send the game into extra period but her desperation triple as the buzzer sounded failed to connect.

After the game, the Des Moines native showed her appreciation to the crowd by interacting with them and signing autographs.

Caitlin Clark says she is in basketball shape heading into the first WNBA season

Before her first preseason game, Caitlin Clark said she was in basketball shape and excited to get her WNBA career going.

In a report by KCRG.com, the former Iowa Hawkeye shared that she has been preparing herself for her WNBA debut season. And while there have been challenges and adjustments, she believes she is in excellent condition to deal with the rigors of being a professional player.

Clark said:

“I’m in really good basketball shape… Now I get to turn the page to a new chapter of my life, and have confidence coming from there (college) into this (WNBA).”

“The physicality is probably going to be one of the biggest things. You’re going to get hit, you are going to get bumped. There are moments when things don’t work as they have in the past, but don’t lose confidence of who I’ve been and what I’ve been able to do.”

While it was just a preseason game, Clark's performance was on the trajectory predicted by fans and analysts, and the basketball sensation is in line to set the record books tumbling in her WNBA debut season.