Caitlin Clark forces overtime, leads Fever past cold shooting to loss to Mystics

[ASFN Admin]

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever dropped a 104-102 overtime game to the Washington Mystics on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Caitlin Clark caught fire in the fourth quarter, willing the Fever to overtime. She finished with 32 points, three off her career high, along with eight assists. Kelsey Mitchell finished with 24 points. Aliyah Boston, who played 20 minutes and scored nine points, left the game with two minutes left and did not return after a lower leg injury.

Indiana is now 1-2.

Sonia Citron finished with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists while Kiki Iriafen added 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Mystics.

Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the loss means.

What I liked in the Indiana Fever's loss to Washington Mystics​

• The beginning to the game: Indiana had a hot start in the first seven minutes of the game, starting 6-of-7 from 3-point range and racing out to a 26-13 lead on a 15-5 run. That included Caitlin Clark, who has been looking to knock down some 3-pointers after a 3-of-16 start to the season, draining back-to-back 3-pointers, and every Fever starter scoring in those first minutes.
• Caitlin Clark's takeover in the fourth: Clark came into the fourth quarter on a 2-of-15 shooting night, with the only made shots being those 3-pointers in the first. She found her fire again to start the fourth, with another set of back-to-back 3-pointers, hyping up the crowd, then a masterful pass to Monique Billings that resulted in a foul on Shakira Austin and two foul shots for Billings. After a Mystics timeout, Clark followed that sequence up with a pass to Myisha Hines-Allen in the paint and yet another 3-pointer, giving the Fever the lead again.
• The fight to tie the game: Caitlin Clark found another gear in the fourth, and it all came to fruition as the Fever were down three points with five seconds left. Clark evaded the foul, found a spot, and drained a 3-pointer that got the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as loud as it has been all night. The Fever outscored the Mystics, 31-22, to force overtime.

What I disliked in the Indiana Fever's loss vs Washington Mystics​

• End of first quarter/beginning of second quarter sequence: After those first seven minutes of the game, it felt like a switch flipped. The Mystics went on a 25-7 run in the next 10 minutes over the end of the first/beginning of the second, and it was only broken by four straight points from Kelsey Mitchell. The Fever were making a multitude of mistakes through that stretch, including silly turnovers and unwise shots.
• Transition offense: For the most part, Clark's teammates were not able to keep up with her cross-court passing on Friday night. A sprinting Damiris Dantas couldn't keep up with Clark's pass in the first half, then Monique Billings couldn't do it in the second. The Fever have emphasized playing with pace this season, but it hasn't quite materialized yet.
• Aliyah Boston's injury: Aliyah Boston left the game with two minutes remaining in the third quarter and did not return because of a lower leg injury. The Fever have not yet said if it is a reaggravation of the lower leg injury that she suffered in Unrivaled in February, which forced her to miss two of Indiana's preseason games. Any potential absence from Boston will be a major blow to the Fever's frontcourt.
• Missing opportunities late: The Fever missed three free-throws in the overtime period -- two from Kelsey Mitchell and one from Lexie Hull. With 45 seconds left at the time of the third missed free-throw, that was the difference between a 102-99 deficit or a tie. It impacted how the Fever played the rest of the period, forcing them to foul, give the Mystics free points, and ultimately lose the game in overtime.

What the Indiana Fever's loss vs Washington Mystics means​

This is the second time a dismal second quarter (albeit the first was in preseason) has doomed the Fever. Indiana has had some trouble putting together a full 40-minute game; a late Sparks run on Wednesday nearly cost Indiana the win, and this second quarter on Friday night was one the Fever ultimately couldn't come back from. The Fever had strong moments, including the beginning of the game and the start of the fourth quarter, but they ned to figure out how to keep that momentum throughout.

Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar's Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes coverage and more.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Fever score today, Caitlin Clark stats, in loss to Washington Mystics

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