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How Indiana Fever picked up biggest win of the season vs. Liberty

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4 months ago

July 7, 2024

How Indiana Fever picked up biggest win of the season vs. Liberty

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever obtained a signature win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon, getting back from 11 factors down within the fourth quarter to take down the league-leading New York Liberty, 83-78.

The Fever at the moment are 9-13, whereas the Liberty are 17-4.

Listed here are three observations:

Fever get signature win

For over half the season, Indiana has been doing what it wanted to do: beating the groups on the backside of the standings. Whereas the Fever picked up a win in opposition to Phoenix, their first in opposition to a .500 group, it was nonetheless one in opposition to a franchise that was in the midst of the pack.

On Saturday, 22 video games into the season, Indiana obtained a signature win. The Fever handed New York, at the moment on the prime of the standings, simply its fourth lack of the season.

The Fever trailed, 75-68, with slightly below 5 minutes left within the sport, and roared again with a 11-0 run to take a 79-75 lead. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu made a 3-pointer to get inside one level, however she missed a possible go-ahead 3-pointer on the following possession. Whereas the Liberty obtained the offensive rebound, the ball went over the halfcourt line. The Liberty misplaced possession on an over-and-back name, and free throws sealed the Fever victory.

That is the Fever’s first win over one of many top-three groups within the league. Indiana is 0-3 in opposition to Connecticut and 0-3 in opposition to Las Vegas.

Fever rating:Indiana Fever beat WNBA’s finest group, the New York Liberty, Caitlin Clark has triple-double

Quick begin melts away

To start with, it did not seem like the Fever, the eighth-place group within the WNBA, was enjoying the group on the prime of the standings.

Indiana rushed out to a 7-0 lead behind back-to-back No. 1 picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, then led 10-1 on the first media timeout. At one level within the first quarter, they led by 12 factors, 24-12. The Fever’s offense was clicking on all cylinders: Boston and Clark have been discovering a rhythm and the group had an excellent tempo and imaginative and prescient.

Then, that begin slowly melted away.

New York went on a 6-0 run over the top of the primary quarter to begin chopping into the deficit, and Indiana, with substitutes within the sport, suffered a 3:30 stretch the place they did not rating within the second quarter. A questionable out-of-bounds name on Kelsey Mitchell on the finish of the primary half gave New York an additional possession, which resulted in two free throws from Stewart to formally shut the hole.

Caitlin Clark will get first profession triple-double

Caitlin Clark is making extra historical past.

Along with her tenth rebound within the fourth quarter, Clark formally hit double-figures in all three main classes with 15 factors, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds.

The Fever rookie has gotten near a triple-double earlier than: she completed Indiana’s win in opposition to Phoenix with 15 factors, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists, however she could not seize the ultimate rebound as she left the sport within the closing seconds.

This time, she made positive it wasn’t left to probability.

Clark obtained off to a scorching begin, with 13 factors, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists by halftime. She obtained to the points-assists double-double mark by the top of the third quarter, and solely wanted three rebounds for a triple-double. She obtained these within the first 4 minutes of the primary quarter.

It’s the first triple-double by a WNBA rookie in league historical past and the primary for the Fever franchise.

Clark had 17 triple-doubles in school, which was second to simply Sabrina Ionescu (who was on the opposite aspect of the ground on Saturday afternoon). Ionescu didn’t report a triple-double in her rookie season within the WNBA, however has in subsequent seasons.