It’s a bittersweet day for Indiana Fever fans. While a home return and a star performance gave them something to cheer for, the result didn’t match the moment. But atleast head coach Stephanie White knows where to put all the blame.

The Fever entered their second preseason game riding momentum after a strong finish against the New York Liberty. But this time things didn’t go the same way around. Facing the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indiana struggled to maintain control after a promising start and eventually fell 95–80 in front of their home crowd.

So speaking after the loss, coach White didn’t hold back in her assessment of the team’s performance.

“I thought our urgency wasn’t there,” she said. “We let them move the ball and move themselves whereever they wanted to. I didn’t feel like we had a sense of urgency.”

“I felt like we were disconnected on the defensive end of the floor. We weren’t moving where the ball moves. And then we were standing and watching. They crushed on the glass. I thought we got out-toughed, I thought their level of efforts or level of urgency I should say was different than ours and we can’t have that,” Stephanie White further added.

While the night started on the right note as the Fever held a narrow lead midway through the first half, it didn’t take for the Wings to bounce back.

Paige Bueckers and Co. responded with a dominant run and turned a close contest into a one-sided game in a matter of minutes. A massive 31–9 stretch flipped the scoreboard and gave Dallas full control of the game with a side of lead that they never gave up.

From there, the gaps only widened as Indiana struggled to keep up physically. The Wings outrebounded them 45–26. Without Aliyah Boston in the lineup, the Fever found it difficult to match Dallas inside as they were often a step late on rotations and second-chance opportunities.

And while the team’s performance left plenty to be desired, one bright spot still shone on the floor.

Caitlin Clark delivered a standout performance in her first home appearance since July 2025. She finished with a game-high 21 points in just 16 minutes. She was efficient from the field, knocked down shots from deep while also getting to the free-throw line consistently. So fans finally got to see their star player back in rhythm, even if the result weren’t in their favor.

On the other hand, Paige Bueckers led the Wings with 20 points, while Maddy Siegrist added 18.

But if the loss wasn’t enough for Fever fans to process, there was already another layer of concern surrounding the team.

Stephanie White Sounds Early Alarm as Injury Concerns Linger Over Fever Camp

Coming into the 2026 season, fans felt a sense that this would finally be a healthy, stable year for the Fever after injuries heavily disrupted the 2025 campaign. But even before the Dallas matchup, that optimism had already started to take a hit.

Ahead of the game, the team listed multiple players out as precautions, including Aliyah Boston (lower leg), Lexie Hull (hamstring), Ty Harris (knee), and rookie Justine Pissott (lower leg). At the time, the coaching staff considered none of these absences serious.

However, Pissott’s situation now appears to be more concerning.

Speaking before the game, coach Stephanie White revealed that there is currently no clear timetable for the rookie’s return. As per Chloe Peterson, she also shared that the injury is something that has lingered from Pissott’s college days, with the 22-year-old now consulting doctors in Indianapolis.

But the good news is Indiana Fever plans “take things as they come and make sure she gets the attention and time that she needs.”

Still, it’s a frustrating development for a player who just begun to show promise. The No. 25 overall pick made her debut against the New York Liberty and dropped eight points in 10 minutes while knocking down a pair of three-pointers.

For a team hoping to turn the page on last season, this isn’t the kind of start that Indiana envisioned. So the bigger test lies in how quickly this group can get healthy and stay that way.