By tnsh20@gmail.com 
Indiana Fever Vs Chicago Sky
Caithlin Clark scored a career best 31 points and had 12 assists in her regular season game against fellow rookie Angel Reese. She led the Indiana fever to a strong 100-81 win over the struggling chicago sky on Friday night. Clark made 8 out of 14 shots, including 5 out of 9 from 3 point range, earning her 11th double-double. She’s the only player to have three games in a season with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds.
On the other side, Reese scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebound setting a new record for Rookie double-double with 23, breaking the tie with Tina Charles. She also passed Sylvia Fowels for the Chicago season record. Reese achieved this with 1:32 left in the game, after clark and the other Indiana started had already left. She alos set a rookie record with 399 rebounds.
Clark might have secured the Rookie of the year title as the Fever (16-16) beat thesky (11-20) for the third time in four games. This wins boost the Fever’s chance of making the play off s, while Chicago in barely holding onto the last play off spot as the season nears its end.
The first match ups were very close, with a total difference of only 10 points and each team winning one game by a single point. However, this game turned into a blow out, Indiana scored their highest points of the season, while chicago gave up the most points they have all season. The game attracted a full crowd of 9,445 people at Wintrust Arena for Barbie night, a tribute to Reese’s college nickname, Bayou Barbie, at LSU. The audience included NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, former basket ball player Sue Bird who had her own Barbie doll during her time with Seattle Storm and soccer star Megan Rapinoe.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, marking her sixth consecutive game with at least 20 points. The fever have a 5-1 record since the olympic break. Nalyssa Smith added 14 points, and lexie Hull scored 11.
I think we understand each other much better now,”Clark said about their recent performance. “Building chemistry and spending time playing together helps build confidence. You can see that happening. I’m proud of this team. We are sharing the ball, taking good shots, which improves our transition game and helps us on defense too.
The fever were outrebounded 42-31 but scored 28 points in the paint. They shot 48.5% from the field and had 26 assists on 32 baskets. Michaela Onyenwere led chicago with 20 points. The sky, who are 1-5 since the olympic break, also saw lindsay Allen score 19 points and Rachel Banham add 14. The team was missing Chennedy Carter, who averages 17:2 points per game and missed her second consecutive game due to health and safety protocols.
Allen quickly scored eight points, helping chicago go on an 11-0 run, which turned into a 15-1 run and gave them a 21-9 lead. However, Indiana ended the first quarter with a 12-2 run, trailing 26-23. The sun mole four of their season high nine 3-pointers in the first quarter.
“Except for the first six minutes of the game, I think we played really well. Our defense was strong”. Clark said. “I’m really proud of this team. I think we fought hard and didn’t let them get closer at the end, which was a problem the last time we were here. They came back from behind. We know they are really good team in the fourth quarter, but we fought hard and figured it out”.
Clark started the second quarter by making two 3-points, which gave the fever the lead. They went on a big run, scoring 34 points to chicago’s 12 and led by 10 points after Mitchell made a 3-pointer. Chicago fought back and cloded the gap to 47-41 at half time. However, Reese made a free throw to start the second half because Aliyah Boston was given a techical foul for arguing with the referee about a no-call at the end of the first half.
After she made the free throw, the fever was only five points ahead going into the second half. The Fever increased their lead to points early in the third quarter, but the sky stayed close until Dawin’s Danta’s made a 3-pointer and Hull made two free throws after getting an offensive rebound just before the end of the quarter. The score was 76-64 into the fourth quarter and snith had scored “Points in the third quarter”
The fever’s lead was as big as 27 points, but chicago finished the game with a 10-2 run.
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