The WNBA has a new single season assist leader. Her name is Caitlin Clark.
Clark recorded nine assists in the Indiana Fever’s 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to break Alyssa Thomas’ single season assist record (316).
The Fever rookie now has 321 assists this year with two games remaining in the regular season.
Clark struggled offensively early and was held scoreless in the first half, but she got it going in the second half and registered 18 points, shooting 7-of-18 from the field, including 2-of-8 from 3. She added eight rebounds and one steal.
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Clark got off to a slow start in the first half (0-of-5 FG, 0-of-2 3PT, 0-of-2 FT) and getting in foul trouble early didn’t help. Clark picked up three fouls in the first half. In one sequence — with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter — Clark missed two free throws, fouled the Aces’ Tiffany Hayes on the other side of the floor and then was called for a technical foul after she hit the side of the stanchion in frustration. It marked Clark’s sixth technical foul of the season. Clark’s next technical foul in the regular season will earn her a one-game suspension.
To make matters worse, the Fever lost forward Aliyah Boston for a while. She headed back to the locker room with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter after taking an elbow to the face. (Boston returned halfway through the second quarter.)
The Fever scored 13 points in the first quarter, matching their season low. Despite the shooting woes, the Fever were only trailing the Aces by eight points due to Kelsey Mitchell’s efforts. Mitchell singlehandedly kept the Fever in the game with 19 first-half points. She was the only Fever player to score more than five points.
The second half belonged to Clark. She got on the board with a layup with 7:26 remaining in the third quarter. She started to find her rhythm, scoring 14 points in the third, to bring the Fever within three points, 60-57, entering the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 13 points in the third.
The Fever were still within three points, 75-72, with 23.3 seconds remaining in the game. Boston had a good look at a 3, but the ball circled out of the rim.
Free throws were the difference in the game. The Fever only converted 11-of-20 free throw attempts.
Mitchell finished with a team-high 20 points, while Boston added 14.
The Aces’ Chelsea Gray had a game-high 21 points, while Kelsey Plum added 18 points. A’ja Wilson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds.
