(Indianapolis, IN) — If anybody is waiting for Caitlin Clark to fail in the WNBA, they might have to wait awhile. Clark began her 2nd season with the Indiana Fever on Saturday and put together a triple double in a 93-58 thrashing of the Chicago Sky.
Clark led all scorers with 20 points and added 10 rebounds and 10 assists plus 4 blocks and 2 steals. More importantly, she only had three turnovers the entire game and was 4-8 from three point land.
If there is any rivalry in the WNBA it might be Clark vs. the Chicago star Angel Reese but rivalries need to have success on both sides. This rivalry seems to be a one sided affair in favor of Clark. After Reese hit a driving lay-up early in the first half to tie the game at 4-4, Clark came back and answered with a 28 foot logo three pointer. In the third quarter, the rivalry took a different direction when Clark fouled Reese hard across her arm which jarred the ball free and Reese fell to the floor. She got back up quickly and looked to confront Clark but by then Aliyah Boston for Indiana stepped in and Clark quietly slipped away from the scene.
Chicago stayed in the game in the first quarter and retook a 10-9 lead but Kelsey Mitchell hit a three with 6 minutes left to retake a 12-10 advantage. The Sky would tie it at 16-16 but Indiana went on a 7-0 lead sparked by Natasha Howard lay-up, another three from Mitchell and two free throws from Mitchell. The Fever never trailed the rest of the game after leading 22-17 at the end of the first quarter.
Only up 26-23 in the 2nd quarter, the Fever went on a 12-2 run to build a 13 point lead. Clark made a three at the very end of the 1st half to give Indiana a 45-32 lead going into the locker room.
Clark had five assists alone in the third quarter including a brilliant back door dish to Howard. Clark also showed diversity in her offensive game hitting a step back fadeaway 19 footer. The Fever led by 20 at the end of the third quarter and cruised to a 35 point win.
Reese did have a double double with 12 points and her usual 17 rebounds but the only other player in double figures for the Sky was Ariel Atkins with 11.
For Indiana, Boston had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Mitchell and Howard each had 15 and Lexie Hull had 9 points off the bench.
Next up for the Fever, they host Atlanta on Tuesday.
