In an electrifying showdown at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever’s prodigious rookie talent, has etched her name in the annals of WNBA history. Becoming the first rookie to ever post a triple-double, Clark dominated the court, rallying her team to triumph with an 83-78 victory against the New York Liberty. The much-needed win snapped the Fever’s inconvenient, nine-game losing streak against the Liberty.
Determined and dauntless, Clark thrust herself at the forefront of the game, all but carrying her team to victory by finishing the game with an impressive 19 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds, putting Indiana’s season record at 9-13. Just two games prior during a nail-biting 88-82 road victory over the Phoenix Mercury, Clark was only one rebound away from making this historic achievement.
“It feels remarkable,” Clark admitted post-game. With typical humility, she added, “But it’s not just me out there. My teammates have been consistently converting passes into points, so my assist numbers are a testament to their efforts as much as mine.”
Indiana Fever’s coach, Christie Sides, couldn’t contain her awe and admiration for Clark’s performance. More importantly, she pointed out the significance of being able to outscore the Liberty, whom Sides referred to as the best team in the league, by a robust 12 points in the final period.
Clark’s strategic and skillful performance included a forceful beginning with 11 points in the first quarter alone. She pushed past ten assists in the third quarter, and rounded off her commanding performance by breaking the ten-rebound mark in the fourth.
Joining Clark’s offensive onslaught was Kelsey Mitchell, whose well-timed 3-pointer tied the game at 75 with just over two minutes remaining. After Aliyah Boston turned a timely steal by Mitchell into a two-point lead, Lexie Hull’s skilful reverse layup stretched the Fever’s lead to four points with only a minute and a half left to play.
Reacting to New York’s defeat, their leading scorer, Sabrina Ionescu, responded by landing a crucial 3-pointer only to misfire on her next attempt. This ultimately cost the Liberty a chance to regain the lead.
In the dwindling moments of the game, Boston netted two free throws and Mitchell followed suit, landing two of her own and sealing the upset for Indiana. New York’s mounting desperation showed in their dismal 10 of 42 attempts from beyond the three-point line.
“Throughout the game, we defended with conviction. Our form, particularly in the closing moments, was instrumental in allowing us to clinch this victory.” Boston said.
Contributing to the victory, along with their defensive panache, were Boston’s 18 points, eight rebounds, and Mitchell’s commendable 14-point effort, marking her ninth consecutive game with double figures. Further bolstering the Fever’s performance was NaLyssa Smith, who contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds, recording her fifth double-double of the season.
Despite a triumphant 22-point performance from Ionescu, and 20 from Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, New York (17-4) couldn’t extend their five-game winning streak.
Following an explosive 8-0 run that kicked off Indiana’s charge, Clark turned a steal into a 3-pointer, opening up the Fever’s most prominent lead of the game. Despite a strong late-quarter surge from New York, closing the gap to just six points, Indiana stood their ground.
Aligning with Clark’s sentiments about the strength of the team, Christie Sides added, “The most crucial difference now is our mental fortitude. Even when the opponents go on runs and pressure increases, we don’t crumble. We’ve proven today that we can remain resilient and weather the storm.”
Despite the late rally, New York coach Sandy Brondello cited a lack of urgency as the core factor contributing to their defeat, “It’s disappointing that we didn’t show the necessary levels of competitiveness from the start. The Fever have showed their prowess in recent games—they just managed to execute better than us when it mattered most.”
Indiana’s intoxicating victory heralds the first time they’ve been able to overcome New York since their 92-86 road win on May 13, 2022, leading to a lead in the all-time series of 50-41 in favor of the Fever. Met with newfound hope, The Liberty will now look to recover and regroup for their next away game against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday. Reciprocally, Indiana Fever will carry their newfound momentum into their home game against the Washington Mystics on the same day.
