Caitlin Clark leads Indiana Fever to win in final preseason game vs. Atlanta Dream

Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull joined forces to lift the Indiana Fever over the Atlanta Dream in a narrow 81-76 win to end their preseason undefeated on Saturday.

Both teams entered the game with untarnished preseason records before Clark ensured the Fever went into the regular season in on a high note with an 13-point performance.

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The Fever held a comfortable cushion in the first period before the Dream came out firing on all cylinders in the second to close the gap. With 5:35 left in the second period, Atlanta closed the difference, 29-28. They remained close as the score was 42-40 Fever at the intermission.

The Dream outscored Clark and the Fever in the second quarter, led by Te-Hina Paopao's 11 points. Meanwhile, Clark also clocked in 11 for Indiana, including three makes from behind the arc.

In the second half, Atlanta continued to chase the Fever and kept the gap within reach as Paopao and Brionna Jones led the charge. Despite holding the lead to single digits, the Dream failed to stop the Fever on the offensive end and give themselves a chance to catch up.

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Indiana would extend the lead to 11 points early into the final period and cruise to victory after a scrappy final three quarters.

After sitting out the Fever's first preseason game, a 79-74 win over the Washington Mystics, Clark dazzled in her return to Iowa as Indiana blew the Brazilian National team out 108-44. The former Hawkeye contributed 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists as the game attracted 1.3 million viewers on ESPN.

Clark and the Fever will open their regular season against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in Indiana on May 17.