Caitlin Clark scores 32 in OT loss

Caitlin Clark scored 32 points on Friday night, but the Indiana Fever still lost 104-102 in overtime to the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Clark hit a tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, and Indiana erased a double-digit second-half deficit before Washington closed the game in overtime. Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 30 points, and Kiki Iriafen added 25 points and 13 rebounds as Washington moved to 2-1. The Fever fell to 1-2. ### How did Indiana get to overtime after trailing late? Clark’s late shot sent the game past regulation after Indiana spent much of the second half trying to recover. The official WNBA recap said Clark hit a 3 from the left wing with 1.7 seconds left to tie the score at 89-89. The Fever’s team recap said the shot came with 2.3 seconds left, but both accounts agreed it forced overtime. Indiana had trailed by 14 in the second half. The Fever opened the fourth quarter with a 12-2 burst, and Clark scored 17 points in the period alone, according to the team recap. ### What stood out about Clark’s scoring night? Clark finished with 32 points, seven made 3-pointers and eight assists, according to the WNBA game summary and the Fever recap. (wnba.com) The team said five of those 3-pointers came in the fourth quarter, a franchise record for most 3s by a Fever player in a quarter. Friday’s game was Clark’s sixth career 30-point game, the Fever said. (wnba.com) Indiana also said Clark’s 17 points in the fourth tied for the second-most points by a Fever player in a single quarter. The WNBA nightly leaders page listed Clark second in the league’s scoring totals for May 15 behind A’ja Wilson’s 45 points, with Citron third at 30. (wnba.com) ### How did Washington win the game anyway? Washington shot 56% from the field and outscored Indiana 48-28 in the paint, according to the official game summary. Citron and Iriafen combined for 44 points after halftime, and Shakira Austin added 19 points. (fever.wnba.com) Rookie Cotie McMahon scored 13 points in her first game, including five in overtime. (stats.wnba.com) Overtime turned on a few late possessions. The official recap said Kelsey Mitchell scored 24 points for Indiana but missed two free throws in the final minute of overtime and then missed a contested shot from the left corner at the buzzer. The Fever recap said a Lexie Hull 3-pointer cut the deficit to one with 5.3 seconds left before Citron made free throws to seal the result. (wnba.com) ### What changed after Indiana’s fast start? Indiana opened with six 3-pointers in the first quarter and led 28-21 after one. Washington then closed the first quarter on a 5-0 run and outscored the Fever 20-9 in the second to take a 41-37 halftime lead. The Fever still made 17 3-pointers on 42 attempts for the game, but Washington’s interior scoring held up over four quarters and overtime. (wnba.com) The Mystics’ efficiency inside balanced Indiana’s edge from long range. ### Did Indiana lose anyone during the game? Aliyah Boston left the game with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter because of a lower leg injury and did not return, according to the official WNBA recap. (wnba.com) Boston finished with nine points before exiting. The Fever recap also noted that Boston moved past Erica Wheeler for sixth place on the franchise scoring list. (wnba.com) Clark, meanwhile, passed Katie Douglas for fifth on the Fever’s career assists list during the first quarter and finished the night with 476 career assists, the team said. ### What comes next for both teams? (wnba.com) Indiana is scheduled to host Seattle on Sunday, May 17, in the second game of a four-game home stand, according to the Fever schedule page and the official game recap. Washington continues its four-game road trip at Dallas on Monday. (wnba.com) (fever.wnba.com)