Clark's Stellar Comeback Powers Indiana Fever to Victory Over Liberty

INDIANAPOLIS — Recalling her high school days in West Des Moines, Iowa, Caitlin Clark isn’t quite sure how many consecutive 3-pointers she’s drained in a game, although she remembers 12 was her best. On Saturday, against the WNBA’s top-ranked New York Liberty, she sank three consecutive triples and finished with seven in total, leading the Indiana Fever to a 102-88 triumph. This victory handed the defending champions their inaugural loss of the season.

Clark made a spectacular return to the Fever lineup after sitting out five games due to a quad injury, contributing 32 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds. With her scoring and passing, she was instrumental in 54 of Indiana’s points.

On the court, Clark’s impact transforms the Fever into a different caliber of team, evident in their prior 77-58 loss to Atlanta, marking their lowest scoring game this season. The turnaround came on Saturday, setting a season high. This win was sweet revenge for their previous 90-88 loss to the Liberty on May 24, which was Clark’s last game before her first absence in both her college and WNBA careers.

“Don’t we always expect that level of play from Caitlin?” Indiana coach Stephanie White said with a smile. “I knew she’d come out with high energy. She’s been eager to get back. Her scoring carried us in the first half, and then the rest of the team stepped up in the second half. Her decision-making was superb; she really got everyone involved, and that’s exactly what she does best.”

Clark had already racked up 25 points by halftime. Her performance peaked in the first quarter when she shot three back-to-back threes, electrifying the Gainbridge Fieldhouse sellout crowd of 17,274. She first hit a 33-footer with 1:26 remaining in the quarter, followed by a 27-footer just 21 seconds later, and capped it off with a 31-footer 22 seconds after that.

“Making those three shots in a row boosted my confidence,” Clark said. “Even in the second half, every shot felt great coming off my hands.”

Playing for 31 minutes and 18 seconds, Clark reported feeling more or less fine despite some mild fatigue.

“I felt strong, and my conditioning was good,” she mentioned. “Our medical team deserves a lot of credit for keeping me in shape. Now it’s all about recovery, especially with our busy schedule ahead.”

The Fever will host Connecticut on Tuesday for their final game in the Commissioner’s Cup standings, where they are now tied with New York at 3-1. From June 19-27, they will face five games, four of which are away, marking their first trip to the West Coast this season against Golden State, Las Vegas, and Seattle.

With both Clark and guard Sophie Cunningham (recovering from an ankle injury) back in action, the Fever appear ready to tackle the rest of the league. Admittedly, New York wasn’t at full strength without 2024 Finals MVP Jonquel Jones (ankle) and Leonie Fiebich, who was committed overseas for Germany’s EuroBasket competition.

This absence influenced the Liberty’s strategy, and by the fourth quarter, it wore on them. Guard Sabrina Ionescu carried New York with 34 points, while forward Breanna Stewart added 24. Stewart was the most effective defender against Clark, holding her to 3 points on 1 of 5 shooting. Clark managed 29 points on 10 of 15 shooting against six other defenders.

Both the Fever and Liberty created ample open shots in Saturday’s contest, but Indiana capitalized on 17, while New York missed 19.

“Credit to Indiana; they played exceptionally well,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello acknowledged. “We had our moments, like when Stewie was on Caitlin Clark. But Indiana executed effectively, and we had too many defensive lapses. They made their shots count, punishing us with those 17 triples.”

Kelsey Mitchell (22 points) and Lexie Hull (14) each contributed three 3-pointers. Cunningham, returning from her ankle woes, scored five points but excelled defensively, finishing with the best plus/minus rating of plus-31.

Off the bench, Indiana received 10 points from another guard, Sydney Colson, as the Liberty restricted Indiana’s starting posts, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard, to merely 14 combined points. Clarke explained that the Fever understood New York’s strategy to restrict the inside game, prompting their focus on perimeter shots.

“They allowed us those 3-point opportunities,” Clark said. “They weren’t leaving the pocket open as much when we came off ball screens. We capitalized on what they allowed. That’s the strategy when facing strong teams.”

The Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, the WNBA Finals contenders from last year, each faced their first losses of 2025 this week, with the Lynx falling to Seattle on Wednesday. However, the Lynx bounced back with a 101-78 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday. New York will look to recover on Tuesday against Atlanta.

For Indiana, besting the Liberty offered a confidence boost, particularly after a 2-3 stretch with Clark absent. Even without DeWanna Bonner, who missed Saturday’s game for personal reasons, the Fever demonstrated depth and poise.

“Emotionally, it’s a relief and a boost,” Coach White stated. “The key is resilience; winning is tough. It requires navigating ups and downs. Our team remains united and draws strength from one another, which strengthens my resolve as well. Every day, we take a step forward, building trust along the way.”