Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers Shine in Team USA Basketball Senior Debut at World Cup Qualifier

Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Kiki Iriafen made their senior national team debuts Wednesday as part of a young core that helped Team USA rout Senegal 110-46 in Group A action at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Angel Reese, who won a silver medal with USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA AmeriCup, also played a role in the blowout win.

Photo credit: FIBA

Clark and Rhyne Howard led the way against Senegal. Howard scored a team-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from deep, while Clark added 17 points and a game-high 12 assists in just under 20 minutes, shooting 4-of-5 from three and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.

After not playing for eight months, Clark competed in her first game since July 5 with the Indiana Fever, before injuries derailed most of her 2025 WNBA season. Before the tournament, Clark made clear she just wanted to play again — any game, any level.

CAITLIN CLARK IN HER SENIOR NT DEBUT:

17 PTS
12 AST#FIBAWWC x #WeOwnTheGame pic.twitter.com/9iCzULi58m

— FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWWC) March 11, 2026

“Everybody’s just excited to get out there and play,” Clark said. “Quite a few of us, it’s our first time on the senior national team. Anytime you get to put USA on, but especially at this level, not very many people get to do that. So truly, an incredible honor.”

Clark showed no signs of rust in her return, threading passes and knocking down open looks efficiently — a two-time FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist and 2021 tournament MVP who looked every bit the part. She admitted afterward there were moments where she was “sucking air.”

“I feel like I had my wind pretty well,” Clark said. “I felt like I was playing fast, and that was my goal. I know that’s what I can bring to this team.”

Bueckers, Reese Deliver for Team USA

Bueckers, who coined the group’s nickname — the “young and turnt” class — chipped in nine points, four rebounds and three assists off the bench. Reese grabbed eight rebounds to go with six points in 17 minutes, consistent with the unrelenting work on the glass that made her a two-time WNBA All-Star. Iriafen contributed six points, four rebounds and two steals while shooting a perfect 2-of-2 from the field.

“It’s really fun just to see our journeys and where we were when we were younger,” Bueckers said. “Life can go a lot of different ways. So for us to continue to grind, work hard, and just be here at this point in life is really rewarding.”

That’s turnt @CaitlinClark22 @paigebueckers1

#USABWNT x #FIBAWWC pic.twitter.com/hmigeJ9V1F

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) March 11, 2026

Clark, Bueckers, and Reese share a history in the junior national team talent pool, and all three competed against each other in college. Iriafen’s path was different — she earned her spot on this roster without that youth program background. All four are now playing alongside Olympic gold medalists Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, and Kelsey Plum, along with veterans Rhyne Howard and Dearica Hamby. Reese said the younger players have leaned on that experience all week.

“We have a lot of vets that were on the Olympic team, so they’ve been able to show us a lot of the way,” Reese said. “There are a lot of new faces here, but we can rely a lot on our vets, because they have been in this moment and they have this experience. So I’m looking forward to just being able to hear and soaking it up, and I know one day the roles are reversed, and I’ll be a vet. So hopefully that can be a good example.”

Next Up: Puerto Rico

Senegal scored the first point of the night at the 8:44 mark of the first quarter, but that was as good as it got — Team USA responded with 15 straight points and never looked back, with Kahleah Copper scoring six during the burst as the defense forced multiple turnovers to fuel the fast break. Team USA shot 60.7 percent from the field and 54.8 percent from three on the night, piling up 30 assists on 37 made baskets as the lead ballooned to 64 points.

Congrats on your #USABWNT debut @Reese10Angel! pic.twitter.com/FJ7M1mOwK2

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) March 12, 2026

Team USA’s World Cup berth was already secured before the first tip in Puerto Rico — Berlin in September is already on the schedule. But coach Kara Lawson is still using the games to sort out lineups and personnel, with managing director Sue Bird evaluating players to help shape the World Cup roster.

Team USA will face Puerto Rico Thursday night, Mar. 12, at 7:45 p.m. ET. You can find the full schedule HERE.