Caitlin Clark had 28 factors and 12 assists and the Indiana Fever overcame a record-tying 9 three-pointers from Arike Ogunbowale in a 100-93 victory over the Dallas Wings on Sunday.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 36 factors, together with a 3 that gave the Fever a four-point lead with 1:58 remaining in a gathering of groups that entered with matching three-game successful streaks.
Ogunbowale completed 9 of 16 from lengthy vary – beating her earlier profession better of seven – and scored 34 factors. The All-Star Sport MVP missed two makes an attempt at a document tenth 3-pointer, together with one with the Wings trailing by six within the remaining minute.
Ogunbowale, who tied a profession excessive with eight rebounds, matched the league document for 3s held by Mitchell (2019) and Seattle’s Jewell Loyd (2023).
“I salute individuals like Arike as a result of off the courtroom, we’re actually nice associates,” Mitchell mentioned. “We are likely to work out and practice collectively within the offseason. I wasn’t anticipating another approach coming from an individual like that.”
Clark and Mitchell hit 5 deep-shots apiece, combining to go 10 for 18 because the Fever shot 50% from lengthy vary and 53% total.
“When you may have two guards which might be each making performs, it places the opposite workforce within the robust place of what to remove, who to placed on who,” Clark mentioned. “We’re positively taking pictures it nicely. We’re taking part in off one another nicely. We’re in search of one another, and we’re getting downhill, too. I believe it’s been an excellent steadiness of all the pieces.”
Clark was coming off a career-high 31 factors in a win over fellow rookie of the yr contender Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. She set a WNBA document with 19 assists in her first regular-season go to to Texas within the sport earlier than the Olympic break, a 101-93 Indiana loss when the Fever had been on the sting of the playoff image.
Now, Indiana (17-16) is above .500 for the primary time with Clark and solidly within the playoff combine whereas the Wings (9-23) are nonetheless hoping to get well from a sluggish begin triggered by accidents to a number of key gamers. Dallas, who gained their first playoff collection final yr, are two video games out of the ultimate postseason spot with eight remaining.
The Fever are 6-1 for the reason that Olympic break with three of these victories on the street. The reward is six consecutive house video games beginning Wednesday in opposition to the last-place Los Angeles Sparks earlier than the regular-season finale at Washington.
“They’ve laid it on the market. We simply hold speaking about emptying our tank,” Indiana coach Christie Sides mentioned. “The arrogance that they’re taking part in with, I’m pleased with the street video games. The street video games have been robust. We simply hold speaking about momentum, maintaining our foot on the fuel.”
After making her eighth three-pointer within the third quarter, Ogunbowale was referred to as for a foul for not giving Kelsey Mitchell a touchdown space on a 3.
The Wings challenged, and misplaced, which led to Ogunbowale getting a technical foul. The Fever scored 5 factors on that possession, chopping their deficit to 67-64 after Dallas had taken its largest lead at 64-55 lower than two minutes earlier.
Mitchell added two free throws after her essential three because the Fever scored eight consecutive factors for a 99-91 lead with 39 seconds remaining.
Satou Sabally scored 25 factors, and Natasha Howard had 18 factors and 9 assists for the Wings. NaLyssa Smith had 14 factors and eight rebounds for Indiana.