Caitlin Clark led the Indiana Fever to a 100-93 victory over the Dallas Wings on Sunday, scoring 28 points and dishing out 12 assists. The Fever’s win came despite a record-tying performance from Arike Ogunbowale, who hit nine three-pointers for the Wings.
Kelsey Mitchell was standout for Indiana, scoring 36 points, including a pivotal three-pointer that extended the Fever’s lead to four with 1:58 remaining in the game. Ogunbowale had an impressive night as well, making 9 of 16 attempts from beyond the arc and finishing with 34 points, falling just short of setting a new personal best for three-pointers made in a game.
Ogunbowale also matched her career high with eight rebounds but was unable to secure a record 10th three-pointer, failing to convert on two late attempts while the Wings were behind by six points in the final minute.
Mitchell expressed admiration for Ogunbowale, emphasizing their off-court friendship and shared training sessions during the offseason.
Clark and Mitchell combined for 10 three-pointers, contributing to the Fever’s 50% success rate from long range and overall shooting of 53%. Clark commented on the dynamic between her and Mitchell, highlighting their teamwork and playmaking abilities.
Clark’s performance followed a career-high 31 points in the previous matchup against the Chicago Sky, where she had also set a WNBA record with 19 assists earlier this season.
With this victory, the Fever improved their record to 17-16, marking their first time above .500 this season and positioning themselves firmly in the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Wings, now at 9-23, are looking to bounce back from a rocky start due to injuries to key players, currently sitting two games behind the playoff cutoff with eight games left.
The Fever have been on a positive trajectory since the Olympic break, securing six wins in their last seven games. They will face the last-place Los Angeles Sparks in a six-game home stretch starting Wednesday, aiming to maintain their momentum.
In a notable moment during the game, Ogunbowale was assessed a technical foul after a foul was called for not providing Mitchell a landing area after a three-point attempt. The Fever capitalized on this, scoring five points from the subsequent possession, narrowing the gap to 67-64 following a brief Dallas lead.
In addition to the performances of Clark and Mitchell, Satou Sabally contributed 25 points and Natasha Howard added 18 points with nine assists for the Wings, while NaLyssa Smith scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Fever.