Caitlin Clark returns to Iowa, leads Fever to rout of Brazil: Highlights
More than 13 months after her final game there as a college at Iowa, Caitlin Clark once again got the chance to thrill the crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
The team around her wasn’t too bad, either.
The former Iowa star and the all-time leading scorer in Division I history put on a show Sunday, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead the Indiana Fever to a 108-44 rout of the Brazil women’s basketball national team in front of a sold-out crowd for the WNBA preseason game.
It was the second of three preseason games for the Fever.
Clark had missed Indiana’s preseason game Saturday against the Washington Mystics with a left leg injury, but logged 19 minutes and made six of her 10 shots, including four of her six 3-pointers.
The reigning WNBA rookie of the year was one of four starters from a new-look Fever team to finish in double figures. Kelsey Mitchell had a game-high 17 points and three steals, while Aliyah Boston added 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. As a team, Indiana made 15 of its 33 3-pointers (45.5%) and forced 26 Brazil turnovers.
The Fever will wrap up its preseason on Saturday with a matchup against the Atlanta Dream before their regular-season opener on May 17 against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky.
Here are updates and highlights from the Fever’s blowout victory against Brazil:
Caitlin Clark points today
In her return to Iowa, Clark had 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including a 4-of-6 mark from 3-point range. She also has six rebounds, five assists, a block and three turnovers.
Fever blow out Brazil by 64
In its second game of the preseason, the Fever looked like a much-improved squad from what it was a year ago when Clark was a rookie, rolling past the Brazilian national team 108-44. Kelsey Mitchell led all players with 17 points and three steals while Clark had 16 points and a game-high five assists in her return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
While Indiana’s win was just an exhibition game against an overmatched opponent, it’s worth noting Brazil lost to the Chicago Sky by 27 points on Friday.
Fever up 55 on Brazil heading into fourth quarter
With Clark likely on the bench for the rest of the afternoon, the Fever is up 90-35 on the Brazilian national team.
Indiana has dominated in every facet of the game, making 14 of its 27 3-pointers, getting 20 assists on its 32 made baskets, holding Brazil to just 25% shooting and forcing its opponent into 19 turnovers.
Caitlin Clark drains deep 3
On what was likely her final play of the afternoon, with the Fever up by 52 late in the third quarter, Clark crossed halfcourt and proceeded to pull up to swish a 35-foot 3-pointer from only about a foot behind where she broke the NCAA Division I women’s basketball career scoring record in 2024 during her senior season at Iowa.
Clark’s deepest 3 during her rookie season with the Fever was 32.5 feet, according to the ESPN broadcast.
Fever up big at halftime
For as much excitement as there was about Clark’s return to Iowa, there hasn’t been a whole lot of drama.
Behind a game-high 13 points from Clark, the Fever is having its way with the Brazilian national team, with a commanding 70-24 lead at halftime. As a team, Indiana is 24 of 42 from the field (57.1%), including a ridiculous 12 of 18 from 3-point range (66.7%). Brazil, meanwhile, has made only 10 of its 36 shots, including two of its 13 3s.
Caitlin Clark gets assist on full-court dime
As anyone who watched Clark at Iowa knew, she can do much more than score.
After grabbing her fifth rebound of the day, Clark immediately turned her eyes up court and tossed an outlet pass to a streaking DeWanna Bonner, who caught it in stride and got a layup to extend the Fever’s lead to 40 points.
It was the second assist of the day for Clark.
Fever up 20 on Brazil at end of first quarter
Caitlin Clark and the Fever are having no problems with the Brazilian national team through the opening 10 minutes. A Clark transition 3-pointer pushed Indiana’s lead to 20, 37-17.
Clark has six points and has made two of her three 3s in seven minutes.
Sydney Colson completes fast break with sweet pass
The Fever stretched its first-quarter lead to 15 points in style, with Sydney Colson finding Natasha Howard with a deft behind-the-back pass on a 2-on-1 fast break for an easy layup. Indiana is rolling early.
Caitlin Clark drains first 3-pointer
In what’s undoubtedly a familiar sight for the thousands crammed into Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Caitlin Clark made her first shot of the day, coming off a screen and appearing to absorb some contact to drain a 3-pointer from the top of the key for the first points of the game.
Is Cailin Clark playing today?
In the hours leading up to the Fever’s game against Brazil, there had still been a question of whether Caitlin Clark’s Iowa homecoming would include her actually playing in the game.
On that front, the home fans in Iowa City got some good news, as Clark was listed as available on the Fever’s pregame availability report.
Clark missed the Fever’s preseason opener against the Washington Mystics with a left leg injury, something Clark described as “a little bit of tightness.” She went through warmups with the team and wasn’t wearing a brace.
‘She had a lot of progress in the last 24 hours, and that was our goal,’ Fever coach Stephanie White said Saturday. ‘Our goal is to see how she progresses every day, so we’ll see what happens and see how she feels after the workouts that she went through today, and then hopefully she’ll be ready tomorrow.’
What channel is Indiana Fever vs. Brazil on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Livestream: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
The Fever’s game against the Brazilian national team will air on ESPN.
Streaming options for the game includes the ESPN app, ESPN+ — ESPN’s subscription streaming service — and Fubo, the last of which offers a free trial for potential subscribers.
Watch Indiana Fever vs Brazil live with Fubo (free trial)
Indiana Fever vs. Brazil start time today
- Date: Sunday, May 4
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
- Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa)
The Fever and the Brazilian national team are scheduled to tip off at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 4 from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on the campus of the University of Iowa.
Indiana Fever vs. Brazil predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM.
- Spread: Fever (-34.5)
- Over/under: 152.5 points
Prediction: Fever 109, Brazil 82
Clark and the improved roster around her will put on a show against a solid Brazilian national team, albeit one that doesn’t feature an active WNBA player.
Indiana Fever schedule 2025
Sunday’s game against Brazil is the second of three preseason games for the Fever, who will wrap up their preseason slate on Saturday, May 10 against the Atlanta Dream.
Below is a look at the Fever’s first five games of the 2025 WNBA regular season. To see Indiana’s full 2025 schedule, click here.
All times Eastern
- Saturday, May 17: vs. Chicago Sky, 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 20: vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, May 22: at Atlanta Dream, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 24: vs. New York Liberty, 1 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 28: at Washington Mystics, 7:30 p.m.
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