Caitlin Clark makes WNBA history AGAIN as the Indiana Fever star boosts her Rookie of the Year claim against opponent Angel Reese.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever has accomplished something no rookie has in league history.
Clark had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists in an 83-78 win over the New York Liberty.
That was the first occasion in WNBA history that a rookie recorded a triple-double.
The No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft was one rebound shy of a triple-double in an 88-82 away win over the Phoenix Mercury two nights ago.
Clark scored 11 points in the first quarter, going 3 of 4 from three-point range. She reached double figures in assists in the third quarter and surpassed the 10-rebound mark in the fourth.
Clark completed a three-point play, and Kelsey Mitchell followed with a three-pointer to tie the game at 75 with 2:31 remaining.
Aliyah Boston scored off Mitchell’s steal, giving Indiana a two-point advantage, and Lexie Hull’s reverse layup extended the margin to 79-75 at 1:24.
Sabrina Ionescu of New York responded with a 3-pointer, but she missed the following time down the floor with a chance to put the Liberty up.
Boston made two free throws with 17 seconds left, and Mitchell added two with 11 seconds left to complete the upset.
Boston led the Fever with 18 points (8-for-12 shooting) and eight rebounds. Mitchell scored 14 points, reaching double figures for the tenth consecutive game.
NaLyssa Smith, the second overall choice in the 2022 draft, added 12 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season.
Ionescu scored 22 points to lead New York (17-4), which had won five consecutive games. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton ended with 20 points, including four three-pointers.
Breanna Stewart tallied 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Jonquel Jones recorded 12 rebounds, six points, and three steals.
Clark scored a three-pointer and then a layup to lead Indiana to an 8-0 run to start the game. She converted a steal into a 3-pointer with 3:04 remaining in the first, giving the Fever their largest lead of 24-12.
Laney-Hamilton nailed a jumper with two seconds left, and New York scored the final six points to pull within six going into the second period.
Clark’s turnaround fadeaway jumper gave the Fever a 31-20 advantage with 7:48 remaining in the second quarter. Jones scored the final five baskets in a 12-0 run from there, giving the Liberty their first lead.
Smith responded with a layup, breaking a 5:06 scoring drought and regaining Indiana’s advantage.
Stewart, who averaged 22.7 points in three previous victories over the Fever this season, hit two free throws in the last minute to pull New York within 39-38 at halftime.
Laney-Hamilton hit a go-ahead jumper, and Ionescu followed with a basket and a 3-pointer off a Stewart steal, giving New York a 57-50 lead with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter. Laney-Hamilton made a pull-up jumper with three seconds left, giving the Liberty a 62-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Indiana beat New York for the first time since May 13, 2022, when they won 92-86 on the road. The Fever lead the all-time series 50-41.
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