Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has accomplished something no rookie has ever done before 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 time in WNBA history that a rookie recorded a triple-double.
The No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft fell one rebound shy of a triple-double two games ago in an 88-82 road win over the Phoenix Mercury.
Clark scored 11 points in the first quarter, hitting 3 of 4 three-point shots. In the third quarter, he surpassed the double-digit mark in assists and surpassed the 10-rebound mark in the quarter.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double.
Clark had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists in the win over the New York Liberty.
Clark had a three-point play and Kelsey Mitchell followed with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 75 with 2:31 left.
Aliyah Boston scored off a Mitchell steal to give Indiana a two-point lead and Lexie Hull’s reverse layup increased the lead to 79-75 at the 1:24 mark.
New York’s Sabrina Ionescu responded with a 3-pointer, but missed one the next time down the court, giving Liberty a chance to take the lead.
Boston made two free throws with 17 seconds left and Mitchell made two with 11 seconds left to complete the upset.
Boston scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds for the Fever. Mitchell scored 14, reaching double figures for the ninth straight game.
NaLyssa Smith, the second overall pick in the 2022 draft, added 12 points and 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.
Ionescu scored 22 points to lead New York (17-4), which had won five straight. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton finished with 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers.
Breanna Stewart added 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jonquel Jones grabbed 12 rebounds, six points and three steals.
Caitlin Clark makes a pass as Liberty’s Breanna Stewart defends her in the first half
Clark hit a 3-pointer and then a layup to propel Indiana on an 8-0 run to start the game. She converted a steal into a 3-pointer to give the Fever their largest lead at 24-12 with 3:04 left in the quarter.
Laney-Hamilton hit a jumper with two seconds left and New York scored the final six points to get within six heading into the second period.
Clark’s jumper gave the Fever a 31-20 lead with 7:48 left in the second quarter. Jones scored the final five points in a 12-0 run from there and the Liberty took their first lead.
Smith responded with a layup to end a scoring drought that reached 5:06 and Indiana regained the lead.
Stewart, who averaged 22.7 points in three previous wins this season over the Fever, made two free throws in the final 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 steal by Stewart to give New York a 57-50 lead with 4:39 left in the third quarter. Laney-Hamilton hit a jumper with three seconds left and the Liberty took a 62-55 lead at the end of the period.
Indiana beat New York for the first time since posting a 92-86 road victory on May 13, 2022. The Fever lead the all-time series 50-41.
