- Clark and the Fever were defeated at home in front of a sold-out crowd, 102-66
- The Fever and Liberty return to New York City on Saturday for a rematch
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Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have lost their second game in a row, as the number one pick in the 2024 Draft and her teammates were defeated once again, this time against the New York Liberty and reigning MVP Breanna Stewart, in their second WNBA contest.
In Indianapolis’ most anticipated rookie debut since Peyton Manning in 1998, Clark underperformed in the Fever’s 102-66 home loss. For the second straight game, he was in foul trouble. The freshman finished with nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and three turnovers, none after the first quarter, a dramatic improvement from the 10 he had Tuesday night.
Clark, who showed signs of frustration in the first half by throwing a towel on the ground after being substituted, was 2 of 8 on field goals and just 1 of 7 on 3-pointers.
On Tuesday, she ended up scoring 20 points against the Connecticut Sun, although she showed her problems in the first half after scoring only seven points in what was her WNBA debut.
Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones each scored 14 for New York, which has won eight straight over Indiana. Jones also had 10 rebounds.
Caitlin Clark did not perform as expected at home in a crushing 102-66 loss to New York.
The 21-year-old No. 1 draft pick scored just nine points in what was her second WNBA game.
Aliyah Boston had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana.
The Liberty not only made life difficult for Clark, but it also made things difficult for Indiana.
Stewart helped New York take control by taking a 25-16 lead after one quarter. And when the Fever cut the deficit to 32-27 midway through the second quarter, Stewart responded with four straight points to spur a 12-0 run that gave Liberty a 44-27 cushion at the end of the first half.
Indiana finally responded by closing the third quarter with 12 straight points, the first seven coming courtesy of Clark, to make it 67-56 after three.
Clark’s frustration was visible throughout the first half, when he only scored two points.
But the defending Eastern Conference champions opened the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run and cruised to their second straight victory.
Indianapolis is quickly becoming a favorite destination for Clark’s former teammates and coaches. Former Hawkeyes guard Gabbie Marshall showed up and posed for a photo with her old friend after Clark’s home preseason opener last week.
The entourage Thursday included former coach Lisa Bluder, who announced her retirement Monday, and new Hawkeyes coach Jan Jensen, Bluder’s longtime assistant.
The Fever and Liberty return to New York on Saturday for a rematch.