No matter the outcome for the Indiana Fever as a whole, win or lose, Caitlin Clark continues to toss records by the wayside.
The WNBA rookie sensation put on a spectacular show Wednesday night, eclipsing the WNBA single-game record for assists after earning a career-high 19 assists as the Fever fell 101-93 to the Dallas Wings.
With the performance, Clark also set a single-game rookie assist record, passing the 16 assists set by Ticha Penicheiro of the Sacramento Monarchs in 1998. Additionally, Clark has broken the Fever’s single-season franchise assist record with an unbelievable 202 in 26 games. The current WNBA single-season record is 316, set by Alyssa Thomas last season.
“She’s going to say it means nothing, but I think it’s pretty cool,” teammate Aliyah Boston, who finished with a career-high 28 points, said of Clark’s feat.
“I just try to set my teammates up for success,” said Clark, who dished nine assists to the 6-foot-5 Boston alone and helped the Fever score 62 points in the paint. “I think at times I can almost overpass … especially with AB, I’m just looking to set her up so much. My eyes are just always on our post players.”
Clark also demolished her previous career high of 13, which she achieved on multiple occasions throughout this season, including the Fever’s huge win over the New York Liberty on July 6. In that contest, when the Fever defeated the No. 1 Liberty, Clark became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double
“[Clark] has the ability and her vision to see things,” Fever coach Christie Sides said, “and we’re just getting better and better as we play with her to be on the same page with her. … Nineteen assists is incredible. That’s incredible.”
The Fever-Wings instant classic matchup sent the WNBA out with a bang ahead of the month-long All-Star and Olympic breaks. Although the Wings came out throwing haymakers, like Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring, leading the Fever by as many as 16 in the first half, Indiana scratched and clawed their way back to trim the lead to eight, 54-46, heading into halftime.
After tightening the game in the third quarter, the fourth quarter was close, with the two teams going back-and-forth and spending the lion’s share of the final frame tied. In the end, Dallas was able to survive and hold the Fever off with some heroics plays from star guard Arike Ogunbowale.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth teams were led by their own dynamic duos, with Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims ending with 24 points apiece for Dallas. For the Fever, Clark and Boston recorded 24 and 28 points, respectively, with Boston’s setting a career high.
With the historic performance, Clark is again stating her case and putting up a convincing show for her Rookie of the Year campaign. Clark leads the league in assists per game with 7.8, and has quickly made herself into a crucial part of the Fever’s starting five.
Dallas rises to 6-19 with the W after dropping 17 of their last 19, but still finds themselves in the basement looking up at everyone else. The Fever, meanwhile, are 11-15 and sit solidly in the middle, seventh in the league standings; the top eight teams qualify for the playoff.
“It’s kind of frustrating. I feel like we’ve left two games out there that are very winnable for us going into the break, the Mystics at home and then obviously this one, and then we’ve won other matchups that are really tough for us,” Clark said. “I think that’s the biggest area for our team to grow. These last 14 games of the year, you can’t leave these opportunities on the table.”
The WNBA will now move into the All-Star break, with the All-Star Game between Team USA and Team WNBA taking place on Saturday. Clark, Boston and Ogunbowale are all members of the Team WNBA roster, and will play against the Team USA roster ahead of the WNBA’s hiatus for the 2024 Olympics.
