Caitlin Clark’s first WNBA season is over.
The Indiana Fever were knocked out of the WNBA playoffs on Wednesday night in a thrilling Game 2 battle with the Connecticut Sun, 87-81, in Uncasville, Conn.
Despite rallying from an 11-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, Connecticut’s DeWanna Bonner, who went toe-to-toe with Clark, hit back-to-back crucial baskets to tie and give the Sun the lead late in the game.
A layup by Bonner tied the game, 75-75, with 2:24 left in the game and after Indiana’s Aliyah Boston gave the Fever a two-point lead, Bonner knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Sun ahead 78-77 with 1:50 on the clock. Marina Mabrey extended the lead to four points and a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left by Bonner all but iced the series-clinching victory.
Clark finished with a game-high 25 points on 10-for-23 shooting in the loss for Indiana, while recording nine assists and six rebounds.
“I’m a tough grader. I feel like I had a solid year,” Clark told reporters after the game. “For me, the fun part is like I feel like I’m just scratching the surface and I’m the one that’s nit picking every single thing I do. I know I want to help this franchise. … I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve so that’s what excites me the most. I feel like I continue to get a lot better.”
The win sends the Connecticut Sun to the second round of the WNBA playoffs and brings an end to a wild rookie season for Clark, who toppled franchise and league records while drawing massive crowds to arenas across the WNBA.
Clark couldn’t escape her final game of the season without a bit of controversy, first shoving Bonner early in the first quarter and then later she was seen reporting a fan to security. The fan was briefly removed from his seat and spoke with security before he returned moments later, according to Indiana sports reporter Scott Agness.
Clark could then be seen talking with Bonner again after the incident with the fan and the Fever star seemed frustrated as she walked away from the conversation shaking her head.
Clark finished this season with 19.2 points per game during the regular season along with 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds. She finished with a number of records, including assists in a season (337) and in a game (19), along with rookie records for points (769), assists, 3-pointers (122) and triple-doubles (2).
Broadcaster Ryan Ruocco said during the telecast on ESPN that Clark would not be playing any kind of offseason basketball. Clark said after the game that she “hadn’t thought too far down the line” about her offseason plans.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow, I don’t know what I’m going to do the next day,” Clark said, adding that she might play some golf.
Clark, Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Damiris Dantas helped erase the 11-point hole Indiana found itself in early in the final period. Back-to-back points from Dantas pulled the Fever within seven points with a little more than six minutes left and a Mitchell layup moments later — assisted by Clark — made the game even tighter.
In typical Clark fashion, the WNBA superstar gave the Fever a lead with 4:00 on the clock with a 3-pointer, but the experience of the Sun kicked back in and they gathered themselves to eventually regain control of the game.
Sun forward Alyssa Thomas had 19 points and 13 assists in the win and Bonner finished with 15 points.
The crowd inside Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday appeared to be a mix of Fever/Clark fans and fans of the hometown Sun, as cheers erupted after baskets on both ends of the floor.
“It was special. A lot of things this group accomplished people that didn’t think was possible after the start we had to the season,” Clark said of her first WNBA season. “It will definitely be a little weird for the first couple weeks and then I’ll get bored and pick up a basketball again.”
