INDIANAPOLIS — Kelsey Mitchell poured in 33 points on an efficient 10-of-14 shooting, Caitlin Clark added 17 points, and the Indiana Fever erased a 13-point first-half deficit to romp past the New York Liberty 108-88 on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Mitchell followed up her 30-point performance in Friday's 110-107 win over Seattle with another explosive outing, marking the first back-to-back 30-point games of her WNBA career. The veteran guard has now scored at least 20 points in 10 consecutive contests, establishing herself as one of the league's most consistent scoring threats.
Clark, coming off a historic franchise-record 45-point, 10-assist night against the Storm — the first 40-point, 10-assist game in WNBA history — played a pivotal role in the Fever's resurgence after a slow start. Trailing 36-23 late in the first half, Indiana mounted a 13-3 run to trim the deficit to 49-45 at the break.
The momentum carried into the third quarter, where Clark converted a three-point play to give Indiana its first lead at 50-49 early in the period. From there, the Fever took control, outscoring New York 28-12 in the third quarter as the Liberty committed nine of their 15 turnovers in the frame.
Breanna Stewart led New York with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but her efforts were not enough to halt the Liberty's alarming slide. New York (13-12) has now lost four straight games, six of seven overall, and five consecutive contests on the road.
Marine Johannes provided an early spark for the Liberty, scoring all 12 of her points — including four three-pointers — in the first seven minutes, but she left the game early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.
In a tense opening sequence, Clark was assessed a technical foul after being knocked to the floor on a hard screen by Jonquel Jones with no call, highlighting the physical nature of the contest.
Leonie Fiebich (foot) and Satou Sabally (concussion protocol) were sidelined for New York.
The Fever, who split their two-game homestand after the win, will host Connecticut on Wednesday. The Liberty continue their five-game road trip Monday at Dallas.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/liberty-fever-score-968159fd53bb27fabfcf6ac64da5065b
