Caitlin Clark avoids serious injury due to ankle strain against Atlanta Dream
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark sprained her ankle in Monday’s win over Atlanta but avoided a serious injury.
INDIANAPOLIS – With a star-studded stadium, the Indiana Fever defeated the Sun at a packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.
Indiana’s 84-80 victory helped the Fever avoid being swept by the Sun. It was a major turnaround for a Fever team that had already lost to Connecticut three times this season, including once when coach Christie Sides pulled her starters from the roster in the second half.
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Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and Gabby Thomas were in the audience, as were entertainment icon and Indianapolis native David Letterman and Colts QB Anthony Richardson.
The Fever are currently 15-16, seventh in the league and solidifying their playoff position.
Here are three observations:
Fever comes hot against sun
Before Wednesday night, the Fever had five games in which they had 50 or more points at halftime, all of which came against teams they had easily beaten throughout the season — three against Atlanta and two against Phoenix.
Wednesday was the sixth time – against a team the Fever were 0-3 against before the game. But Indiana is a different team than the last time they met in June.
After trailing 8-2 early in the game, Indiana easily regained control of the score, shooting 50% (9 of 18) from 3-point range in the first half and leading the Sun, the league’s second-best team, by nine points at halftime.
Previously, the Fever won all five games in which they scored over 50 points in the first half.
This time it was a little more difficult. The Fever were only two points ahead with a minute to go and the Fever and Sun were shooting baskets. It was a rough game – the Sun are veterans and have experience battling for the ball.
The teams traded baskets in the final period when Sun center Alyssa Thomas lost the ball with 24 seconds left. Then Connecticut started to foul.
Lexie Hull sealed the win with two free throws a few seconds before the end and the Fever avoided the sweep against the second best team in the league.
Lexie Hull starts the season for the second time
After starting in place of Katie Lou Samuelson in the second half on Monday night, Fever player Lexie Hull got another chance on Wednesday.
Sides said Samuelson pulled out of Monday night’s game because she wasn’t feeling well. She then appeared on the injured list on Wednesday for personal reasons. Samuelson went through warm-ups and was eventually deemed fit to play, but did not play.
And Hull took advantage of the opportunity. After three consecutive games of over 20 minutes, they showed why they deserved it on Wednesday night.
Hull was combative throughout the game, fighting for rebounds and extending the Fever’s possession. She was on offense at key moments and delivered: Caitlin Clark lost control of the ball on one possession and regained it. She got the ball to Hull with just seconds left on the shot clock. Hull, off balance and one-handed, hit a three-pointer that whizzed through the net.
Hull finished with 4 of 5 three-point shots and 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Kelsey Mitchell scores more than 20 points for the fifth time in a row
With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Kelsey Mitchell was completely free in the 3-point corner near the Connecticut bench. Whether it was a defensive error by Connecticut or intentional, Lexie Hull threw the ball to Mitchell. Swish.
That shot gave the Fever a one-point lead with just minutes left in the game, and it marked Mitchell’s fifth straight game of 21+ points – all after the Olympic break. Since the break, she’s averaged 26.2 points, which is both the league lead and one of the best in the league.
Mitchell’s scoring was key to the Fever’s 4-1 record since the break, including three wins against teams with a record of .500 or better.
She finished the game with 23 points on 8 of 14 hits.
How many points did Caitlin Clark score against the Sun?
Clark finished the game with 19 points on 7 of 17 shooting, along with five rebounds and five assists.
