The Indiana Fever accomplished a season sweep of the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night time.
Caitlin Clark completed with a team-high 29 factors within the Fever’s 98-89 win over the Mercury at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Clark picked up her tenth double-double, with 10 assists and 5 rebounds within the Fever’s first sport again from the Olympic break. The Fever rookie is now one double-double shy of registering essentially the most double-doubles by a rookie guard within the WNBA since Courtney Vandersloot in 2011 (11).
The Fever appeared to learn from the one-month Olympic break, popping out the gate with excessive power and offensive firepower, whereas the Mercury (that includes gold-medal Olympians Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper) appeared to have some rust. Indiana jumped out to a 28-point lead within the first half, however the Mercury heated up within the second half to take the lead within the third quarter. However Indiana did not panic.
“It’s large. It units the tone of the place we need to be the remainder of the season,” stated Clark, who shot 8-for-16 from the sphere, together with 4-for-11 from three. “To grind this one out and get it accomplished is the step in the suitable route.”
Clark knocked down three 3-pointers within the first half, registering 16 of her 29 factors within the first 13 minutes of the sport. 4 Fever gamers have been in double figures by halftime — Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith. However the Fever got here out chilly within the second half. Copper led the Mercury on a 36-9 run to take the lead with 2:42 remaining within the third quarter, however the Fever responded to retake a double-digit lead and earn their twelfth win of the season.
Very like the primary Fever-Mercury matchup in June — the place 5 technical fouls and two Flagrant 1 fouls have been known as between the 2 groups — issues bought chippy and tensions boiled over throughout the bodily contest.
With 5:07 remaining within the third quarter, the Mercury’s Natasha Cloud and Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell bought twisted up on a display. Mitchell shoved Cloud, who then responded by bumping chests with Mitchell. Double technical fouls have been known as.
With 7:07 remaining within the sport, Griner and Boston have been jockeying for place below the basket when Griner elbowed Boston. Griner was known as for a foul, her fifth, and was compelled to take a look at for the sport to her dismay. Whereas strolling to the bench, Griner continued chirping on the referees and was known as for a technical foul.
Mitchell completed with 28 factors, Boston had 14 and Smith had 13 for Indiana.
Simply 5 days in the past, Griner, Taurasi and Copper gained a gold medal with the U.S. ladies’s nationwide crew on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Copper completed with a game-high 32 factors, Cloud had 19, Taurasi added 16 and Griner had 10 in that contest.