Caitlin Clark leads Fever previous Liberty with first triple-double by WNBA rookie

Norman Ray

World Courant

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark recorded the primary triple-double by a rookie in WNBA historical past, serving to Indiana to an 83-78 victory over New York on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, snapping the Fever’s nine-game shedding streak to the Liberty.

Clark completed with 19 factors, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for Indiana (9-13). The No. 1 choose within the WNBA draft was one rebound away from a triple-double in an 88-82 win over Phoenix Mercury two video games in the past.

“Clearly it is actually cool,” Clark stated. “My teammates have been ending the ball at a extremely, actually excessive price. My help numbers … that is due to them.”

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Indiana coach Christie Sides was impressed with Clark and the truth that the Fever outscored Liberty by 12 factors within the ultimate interval.

“Caitlin with a triple-double, my god, that is unbelievable,” she stated after the sport. “Holding New York to 16 factors within the fourth quarter, that is enormous for us. That is the No. 1 staff within the league.”

Clark had 11 factors within the first quarter, making 3 of 4 from 3-point vary. She reached double figures in assists within the third quarter and surpassed the 10-rebound mark within the fourth.

Clark had a three-point play and Kelsey Mitchell adopted with a 3-pointer to tie the sport at 75 with 2:31 left. Aliyah Boston scored on a Mitchell steal to present Indiana a two-point lead and Lexie Hull’s reverse layup prolonged the result in 79-75 with 1:24 left.

New York’s Sabrina Ionescu answered with a 3-pointer, however missed one the following time she got here down the courtroom with an opportunity to present Liberty the lead. Boston made two free throws with 17 seconds left, and Mitchell scored two with 11 seconds left to finish the upset.

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New York made simply 10 of 42 makes an attempt from past the three-point line.

“We defended effectively the entire recreation,” Boston stated. “These previous few minutes, particularly these previous few possessions, had been nice for us.”

Boston scored 18 factors on 8 of 12 taking pictures and had eight rebounds for the Fever. Mitchell scored 14 to achieve double figures for the ninth straight recreation. NaLyssa Smith, the No. 2 general choose within the 2022 draft, added 12 factors and 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.

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Ionescu scored 22 factors to steer New York (17-4), which had gained 5 straight video games. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton completed with 20 factors and made 4 3-pointers. Breanna Stewart added 14 factors, six rebounds and 6 assists. Jonquel Jones had 12 rebounds, six factors and three steals.

Clark made a 3-pointer and adopted it up with a layup to spark Indiana on an 8-0 run to begin the sport. She turned a steal right into a 3-pointer to present the Fever their largest lead at 24-12 with 3:04 left within the quarter. Laney-Hamilton made a jumper with two seconds left as New York scored the ultimate six factors to tug inside six heading into the second interval.

Clark’s turnaround fadeaway jumper gave the Fever a 31-20 lead with 7:48 left within the second quarter. Jones scored the ultimate 5 factors in a 12-0 run from there and the Liberty took their first lead. Smith answered with a layup to finish a scoring drought that stretched to five:06 and Indiana regained the lead.

Stewart, who averaged 22.7 factors in three earlier wins over the Fever this season, made two free throws within the ultimate minute to place New York up 39-38 at halftime.

Laney-Hamilton hit a go-ahead jumper and Ionescu adopted with a basket and a 3-pointer off a steal by Stewart to present New York a 57-50 lead with 4:39 left within the third quarter. Laney-Hamilton hit a pull-up jumper with three seconds left and the Liberty took a 62-55 lead into the ultimate interval.

Clark famous that the Fever study to not buckle beneath strain when issues do not go their manner.

“I believe the largest distinction is when groups make runs, we do not collapse,” Clark stated. “We have discovered a technique to keep resilient and shut the hole.”

New York coach Sandy Brondello was not proud of Liberty’s mentality at first.

“I did not assume we got here out with the urgency to compete. They’re 6-4 within the final 10 video games. They outperformed us within the ultimate phases.”

Indiana defeated New York for the primary time since a Could 13, 2022, 92-86. The Fever now lead the all-time sequence at 50-41.

NEXT ONE

Liberty: Keep on the highway to play the Connecticut Solar on Wednesday.

Fever: hosts the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.

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AP WNBA:

Caitlin Clark leads Fever previous Liberty with first triple-double by WNBA rookie

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