It was a sellout crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena as thousands came from all around the state and beyond for a big night in women’s basketball.
“I'm just so excited. And so I'm so excited to see Caitlin Clark,” Izzy Smith of Wallingford, Vermont, said.
A big name in women’s basketball drew big crowds to Mohegan Sun Arena.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
High school basketball players jumped at the chance to see Clark make her WNBA debut. This comes after Clark’s record-setting feats in college at Iowa.
“As soon as we saw her play like a year ago, we really found the love for the game again. And just the way that she shoots and her playing style and the way that she built like girls basketball, just it's amazing. And we love her,” Gabby Vigio of New Haven said.
Clark and the Indiana Fever took on the Connecticut Sun.
Local
This is a state well-known for basketball stars.
“Connecticut Sun always has a good turnout, but this is going to bring it next level, like next level across the board for all of the teams in the WNBA. This is fantastic,” Keri Costello of Bristol, Rhode Island, said.
Sun fans welcomed the extra attention for a sport they’ve loved for years. And they hope the energy provides inspiration for younger generations and helps grow women’s basketball.
“Obviously more pay, like please pay these women. And it's just a really amazing to just see all the different games on TV, on different channels,” Micha Broadnax of Maryland said.
To put this in perspective, the last time the Sun had a sellout crowd for their opener was back in their inaugural season in 2003.
