Caitlin Clark was 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a spectacular return of a left-wing quad injury on Saturday that led the Indiana fever to a 102-88 victory over the New York Liberty, who broke their season opening nine-game winning streak.
After missing five games, Clark scored 25 points in the first half to help Indiana (5-5) with an early 11-point shortage. Clark made 11-of-20 shots and brought a career high by touching seven 3s, including several from much further than the bow.
Clark finished with the second most points in her career and three shy of her career-high (35) set on September 15 against the Dallas Wings. Clark scored 14 in the first quarter, including three 3s in the last 86 seconds after the fever ran 11.
Clark helped the fever in the third by touching a layout, her last 3 and two free throws for a 72-59 lead with 3:43 over
Clark had help from her supporting cast when Kelsey Mitchell added 10 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3 that raised the lead to 99-84 lead with 2:12.
Lexie Hull added 14 and Aliyah Boston contributed a Double-Double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, because the fever prevented the Liberty from being the fourth team in the WNBA history to open with 10 straight victories. Indiana shot 48.1 percent out of the field and reached 17 of 35 3-point attempts.
Sabrina Ionescu scored 34 on 11-of-20 shooting and Breanna Stewart added 24, but the Liberty (9-1) was surpassed 78-62 after the opening quarter. New York shot 42.3 percent in general and was 6-of-29 from a 3-point range.
After he had a technical error, Clark hit a 20-foot and her sixth 3 to extend the lead to 49-43 with 2:23 and the fever settled for an edge of 53-50 at half time after Ionescu a 34-foot 3 sank with four seconds.
Two free throws from Natasha Cloud in New York opened with a 59-53 lead with 7:31 in the third. Indiana broke back with 19 straight points before taking a lead from 80-71 to the fourth.
New York used a 14-2 point to close within 80-76 on a basket of Marine John with 8:28 about. Mitchell’s sweater gave Indiana an 85-78 lead with 6:42 and she skipped a 3 over Stewart for a lead of 93-82 with 4:34.
-Field level Media
#Deadspin #Caitlin #Clark #dominates #exchange #fever #overthrowing #freedom