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Alexa Philippou, ESPN
INDIANAPOLIS — No. 1 WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever secured their first home win of the season and second of the year with a 71-70 victory over the visiting Chicago Sky and fellow rookie star Angel Reese on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
After harping on defense amid the early-season struggles, Indiana (2-8) put together its best effort on that end of the floor on the season, overcoming its shooting woes (39.1% from the field) as it held Chicago to a 40.6% clip and just 2-for-12 from the 3-point arc.
“We were connected defensively more than we’ve been all year,” Indiana coach Christie Sides said.
The contest also served as both teams’ first game in the Commissioner’s Cup, the WNBA’s in-season tournament.
The Fever led the majority of the afternoon, pulling ahead by as many as nine with 3:36 to play, before the Sky used a late run to make it a one-point game with 1:35 to play. Aliyah Boston‘s clutch and-1 allowed Indiana to escape with the win.
“I’m proud of our group,” said Clark, who finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. “I thought earlier in the season, to this point, if we would have shot like this, we wouldn’t have won the game because we didn’t have that resiliency and we would let it affect the defensive end for us. So just proud of us. We were really gritty on defense. Even when they were making runs, we always found a way to respond.”
Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record 150 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in a 10-game span.
Kamilla Cardoso, the Sky’s pick at No. 3, returned from a preseason shoulder injury to make her WNBA debut, scoring 11 points and corralling six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. Reserve Chennedy Carter led the Sky in scoring with 19 points.
Two months ago, Clark and Cardoso faced each other in the national title game, which Cardoso’s South Carolina squad won. Cardoso is a former college teammate of the Fever’s Boston (who finished with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks), and Saturday, suited up alongside former SEC foe Reese for the first time since they were both drafted by Chicago in April. Clark and Reese’s battles when they were at Iowa and LSU, respectively, garnered national headlines and record ratings while helping to spur the uptick in interest and growth of women’s basketball.
Carter drew attention with a play toward the end of the third quarter when she shoulder-checked Clark before the basketball was inbounded. The call was not reviewed and was deemed a common foul.
When asked about the play afterward, Carter said “next question” and declined to address Clark or the foul. Sides said the team will probably send it to the league to be reviewed.
“It is what it is,” Clark said. “I feel like I’m just at the point where you accept it and don’t retaliate… I’m trying not to let it bother me.”
Sides lauded Clark for keeping her composure through all the physical play this season.
“We’re just gonna keep sending these possessions to the league, and these plays, and hopefully they’ll start, you know, taking a better look at some of the things that we see happening, or we think is happening,” Sides said. “Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did. You know, it’s tough to keep getting hammered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls. She’s continued to fight through that. Appreciate that from her. Really, really proud of her for doing that.”
Saturday’s contest was the Fever’s 10th game in 19 days, and they will travel east to play New York on Sunday night. Their 11 games in 20 days is the most in such a span since the 2011 Washington Mystics weathered a similar schedule. After New York, Indiana doesn’t have a game until Friday and will be able to get in some much-needed rest and practice days.
“Anytime you win, that makes everything a lot better,” Sides said. “These guys, they’re clawing and they’re fighting. And that’s all I can ask them to do. They did that ’til the end tonight, and they’ll do it again tomorrow regardless of the competition.”