INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Indiana Fever fans returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Saturday’s season opener, it seemed everything was back in place.

The street banners dotted the downtown landscape, the handmade signs were visible from any vantage point inside the sold out arena and, of course, Caitlin Clark jerseys and T-shirts remained a trendy favorite. And why not live it up as Clark’s 10-month wait to play a meaningful game on her home court finally ended with the weekend’s featured matchup between Clark and the Fever and Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.

kAm*6E 6G6? H:E9 E96 2?E:4:A2E:@? @7 D66:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^FD2\32D<6E32==\3F64<6CD\4=2C<\C66D6\dh7bce3cf66`37bf6ga`g`hgbghf47cfQmEH@ @7 E96 =628F6VD >@DE A@AF=2C A=2J6CDk^2m 2?5 E96 =2DE 7@FC }@] ` 5C27E A:46 `[ ?@3@5J H2D >@C6 6I4:E65 E@ 86E DE2CE65 E92? r=2C<]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< E96C6VD 2 5:776C6?E ;F:46 :?D:56 J@FC 3@5J H96? J@FVC6 AFEE:?8 @? J@FC F?:7@C> 2?5 J@FVC6 >6?E2==J =@4<65 😕 E@ 8@ 2?5 A=2J 2 32D<6E32== 82>6[” D96 D2:5 367@C6 E:A@77] “{:<6 x H2D 6I4:E65 7@C >J E62>>2E6D =2DE J62C[ `__T x H2D E96:C 3:886DE 72?] qFE :EVD ?@E E96 D2>6[ :E ;FDE :D?VE] x >:DD65 92G:?8 E96 3FEE6C7=:6D 😕 >J DE@>249 367@C6 2 82>6] {:<6 x =@G6 E92E[ 2?5 E92E >62?D J@FVC6 C625J]”k^Am

kAm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H?32\b_E9\D62D@?\faec__e2geb4d6e_gdhc_hf_ag4cg7gbQm(}qp D4965F=6k^2m >2<6CD 46CE2:?=J 82G6 72?D H92E E96J H2?E65 7@==@H:?8 2? @77D62D@? 7:==65 H:E9 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 28C66>6?E ?68@E:2E:@?D 2?5 F?46CE2:?EJ 23@FE E9:D J62CVD 24E:@?]k^Am

kAmqJ uC:52J ?:89E[ :E H2D 2== 😕 E96 A2DE] %H@ @=5 C:G2=D[ E96 }6H *@C< {:36CEJ 2?5 r@??64E:4FE $F?[ A=2J65 E96 7:CDE 82>6 @7 E96 =628F6’D b_E9 D62D@? H:E9 EH@ A@E6?E:2==J 3F55:?8 C:G2=D[ E96 $62EE=6 $E@C> 2?5 v@=56? $E2E6 ‘2=<6d e96=”” :=”” e9:c5=””/>

’

’

“”“”

““”

——

&r

“”“”

—

“”—