How to watch Stars, Mavericks, Rangers and Caitlin Clark with all in action Friday night
Caitlin Clark makes WNBA debut in Arlington on Friday, and Wings are embracing the moment
ARLINGTON — ”Reality is coming.” That was the warning all-time WNBA great Diana Taurasi issued Caitlin Clark when she finished her college career as the all-time leading scorer in men’s or women’s college basketball less than a month ago. The message was that Clark wouldn’t be facing 18-year-olds any longer.
”I’m here.” That was Clark’s announcement (she didn’t say it in words, just on the court) Friday night at College Park Center. In a preseason game against the Dallas Wings, in front of a packed house she was largely responsible for, Clark scored 21 points but missed a desperate three at the buzzer as the Dallas Wings won the exhibition game, 79-76.
Dallas‘ own Arike Ogunbowale, known for hitting big shots herself, drilled the winning 3-pointer with three seconds to play although she finished 1-for-7 from distance. Clark made 5 of her 13 three-point shots, scoring 16 points in the first half before running into foul trouble during the second in her pro debut.
As the first pick in the April 15 draft, Clark joined a team that was 24-84 the last three seasons. Suffice to say very few folks in Indiana had the Fever. But the basketball world loves watching Clark and she has a chance to rewrite everything, not just in her new midwestern home but for the women’s game across the board.
The Fever will have 36 of their 40 regular season games on national TV. This comes on the heels of Clark’s Iowa drawing 14.2 million viewers on ESPN for the national semifinal game with UConn and 19 million on network TV for the championship game with South Carolina.
If you’re the commissioner of anything besides the National Football League, you will kick your grandmother to the curb for those ratings. The women’s championship outdrew the men’s in April, not to mention the World Series or the NBA Finals overall. The WNBA is hoping to latch onto a piece of that through Clark, and her ticket-selling skills were on display in a sold-out College Park Center despite the fact sports fans could have watched the Mavs or Stars in playoff action.
On the Fever‘s second possession, Clark launched and hit a 3-pointer. By halftime she had 16 points, comprised almost entirely of four 3-pointers plus two free throws she made after being fouled from 3-point range. For those wondering, the 3-point line in the WNBA is the same distance as in college. Wouldn’t make much difference if it wasn’t as Clark has been known to launch from the logo and score.
But that’s not to say Taurasi was entirely wrong. Clark got her shot blocked by Natasha Howard, ran into foul trouble and committed five turnovers. It was the imperfect start one might expect when a great player joins a struggling team at a higher level. Dallas actually got 21 points from another rookie, left-handed Jaelyn Brown, who played for Cal in 2020 but has been overseas, most recently playing in Turkey.
On Friday morning, Clark said she did not know what to expect in terms of scoring, beyond the promise she would play hard.
“I think the shooting is always going to be part of my game, and it’s something this team needs,” Clark said after the team’s shootaround. “There’s going to be nights you shoot it great and nights that you don’t. That happens to Steph Curry, that happens to me, that happens to anybody.
“Whether I make 10 threes tonight or I don’t make any, there are other aspects of the game where I can help the team.”
Turned out to be five — right in the middle between 10 and 0.
Clark also had three rebounds, two assists and two steals, and that assist figure when Indiana plays a team that doesn’t have the massive size advantage the Wings enjoy against just about everyone.
Indiana already has had two road games moved from smaller WNBA venues to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (where the Stars played Friday) and to Capital One Arena in Washington (home of the Wizards and Caps). There are no plans announced to move either of Clark’s regular season games against the Wings out of Arlington, although the team is moving to Dallas in two years. The Wings will play in the old (but presumably refurbished) Memorial Auditorium downtown. I’m personally anxious to see how it looks for Wings games compared to Dallas Chaparral games I attended in the late ‘60s.
OK, that’s been a minute.
By the time the Wings truly become the Dallas Wings, the WNBA will have a new TV deal worth probably twice as much or more than the current $60 million per season. That’s attributable to several factors, but Clark is, without any doubt, No. 1.
”The buzz around the WNBA right now is super special,” Clark said. “The competition in this league is really really good. I’m excited that people are appreciating the W. Just a great atmosphere for women’s basketball, I think it’s a good kickoff to the WNBA season.”
Well, everyone loves the long ball. And no female has ever shot from distance — considerable distance quite often — like Clark. Her fifth 3-pointer of the game, one that gave Indiana a 67-65 lead in the fourth quarter, came from at least 28 feet.
It was the last one she would make in this particular game. Many, many more to come very soon, though.
Wings-Fever photos: Caitlin Clark, Arike Ogunbowale ball out in WNBA preseason opener
Find more Wings coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WKRC) – Authorities in Indiana found a semi trailer loaded up with hundreds of pounds of suspected cocaine.
According to a statement issued by the Indiana State Police (ISP), 27-year-old Harmandeep Singh of Bakersfield, California was taken into custody after nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine were reportedly found in the trailer of a commercial truck.
Per the statement, an ISP trooper seized the suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Putnam County, authorities said.
The stop occurred Tuesday morning near the 37-mile marker, just east of Cloverdale, after a commercial motor vehicle was observed exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police said Singh displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity during the encounter. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered multiple duffel bags and cardboard boxes in the trailer containing approximately 392 pounds (178 kilograms) of suspected cocaine.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at about $9 million.
Singh was taken into custody and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
He faces the following preliminary charges, per the post:
Formal charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
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Indiana State Police said drug interdiction remains a priority, with troopers focusing on major highways to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into the state.
For many Hoosiers living in rural Indiana, accessing health care can mean driving 30 minutes or even an hour to see a doctor or reach the nearest hospital. As workforce shortages and financial pressures challenge rural hospitals across the country, ensuring access to care close to home has become one of the most important health-care issues facing our state.
About one in four Indiana residents live in a rural community, yet access to health-care services in many of these communities continues to shrink. Across the nation, rural hospitals and clinics report extremely thin operating margins and often say workforce shortages and rising costs make it difficult to sustain services such as primary care, maternity care and behavioral health.
When rural communities struggle to maintain health-care access, the impact doesn’t stay confined to small towns. It ripples across the entire health-care system, contributing to increases in chronic conditions, reduced preventative care for children, and worsening outcomes for the sickest patients.
Communities such as Greater Lafayette serve as a regional hub for care, with hospitals like IU Health Arnett caring for patients from surrounding counties across north-central and west-central Indiana. That role is something we are proud to fulfill. But when rural residents must travel long distances for care that should be available closer to home, it places increasing pressure on emergency departments, specialty clinics and inpatient services at larger regional hospitals.
In many cases, what might have been a routine appointment, preventive screening or early diagnosis in a local clinic becomes far more serious by the time a patient reaches a larger hospital. A missed screening can escalate into a medical emergency.
That reality makes strengthening rural health care more important than ever — not just for rural communities, but for the health of the entire state.
One of the most important steps we can take is investing in the next generation of health-care professionals who will care for these communities.
At IU Health, we are working directly with local schools and community partners to help build that workforce pipeline. Across the region, IU Health has partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy and area school districts to introduce students to health-care careers earlier and provide hands-on learning opportunities that bring those careers to life.
Through these programs, students explore health-care pathways and earn certifications such as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant or emergency medical technician while still in high school. Many participate in job shadowing opportunities, clinical experiences and mentorship programs, giving them valuable exposure to the field before they graduate. In fact, since the first cohort in 2023, IU Health has extended job offers to more than 70 students.
The goal is simple but powerful: help students see that meaningful careers in health care exist in their own communities and create pathways that allow them to stay and serve those communities.
For rural health care, this approach is critical. Students who train and develop personal mentorship connections locally are far more likely to remain in the region after completing their education. By helping young people build skills and connections early, we can create a sustainable workforce that strengthens health-care access in both rural communities and regional centers, including Greater Lafayette.
Since launching the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund in 2018, IU Health has invested more than $40 million in community grants supporting workforce development, education and school-based programs that build Indiana’s health-care talent pipeline. This includes funding for the Indiana Latino Institute, which placed Latino students in health-care internships, supported career pathways, and provided medical interpreter training and college coaching to communities across the state.
Our goal is to make Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation, and this is one way we work toward that in partnership with our communities.
But workforce development is only part of the solution.
Strengthening rural health care will also require continued collaboration between health-care providers, educators, community leaders and policymakers. Expanding telehealth access, supporting rural hospitals and investing in primary care and behavioral health services are all critical steps toward ensuring patients can receive care close to home.
Greater Lafayette will always play an important role as a regional health-care center, providing specialized care and advanced services for patients across a broad region. But the long-term health of Indiana’s health-care system depends on maintaining strong local access points for care in rural communities.
When rural clinics and hospitals can provide preventive care, manage chronic conditions and connect patients with the services they need early, the entire system works better.
Patients receive care sooner, communities stay healthier and larger hospitals can focus on the complex cases they are designed to treat.
Healthy rural communities do not just benefit the towns where they are. They strengthen Indiana’s entire health-care system by ensuring that every Hoosier — no matter where they live — has access to the care and resources they need to live healthier lives.
When rural health care succeeds, all of Indiana benefits.
Gary Henriott is a lifelong resident of Lafayette and the retired CEO and Chairman of Henriott Group. He is the chair of the IU Health West Region board of directors and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, and president of Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety.
INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal charges after her 2-month-old baby died in an apparent improper co-sleeping environment, according to investigators.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, police were called to an area hospital on Sept. 19, 2024, following the death of 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis’ son. The boy had been found unresponsive in his family’s home early that morning, and Davis attempted CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.
The affidavit says the boy had been sleeping on Davis’ bed with his 6-year-old brother. Davis later showed investigators a video showing the baby sleeping chest down on the 6-year-old’s chest.
An autopsy concluded the baby’s cause of death was “sudden explained death of an infant” with an intrinsic factor, which included being “placed to sleep in a queen-sized mattress being shared with a 6-year-old sibling, along with numerous blankets and other miscellaneous items; discovered unresponsive in a prone position with his face turned to the side and partially covered with a blanket.”
A report from the Department of Child Services (DCS) indicated the boy had no known health issues and that Davis ran an FSSA-licensed day care and has “extensive training on child care and safe sleeping environments.”
Davis had been known to DCS prior to the baby’s death. The boy had been born marijuana-positive and, on July 2, 2024, Davis had reportedly signed a “Safe Sleep Safety Plan,” acknowledging she understood that the safest places for her baby to sleep were in a crib, pack-and-play or bassinet and warned that co-sleeping places the baby at risk of suffocation and sleeping areas should be kept free of blankets, pillows and other items. The plan also included a provision that Davis not use marijuana while caring for her children, but she told investigators during an interview that, the morning of her baby’s death, she had gone downstairs to smoke marijuana and left the children alone upstairs.
Davis’ two other children were removed from the home, and interviews with them revealed that co-sleeping with the infant happened often.
Investigators say they attempted to contact Davis several times after talking to her children.
“She called me on February 18, 2025, and said she didn’t do anything wrong, her baby died of SIDS,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Brooklyn never came in for an additional interview.”
Court records indicate the case was filed in March 2026. Davis was booked into jail on April 1 on three counts of neglect of a dependent. An initial hearing was held on April 7, and a bail review hearing is planned for Monday.
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