Caitlin Clark returns with 32 points as Fever hand Liberty
Caitlin Clark’s back.
The WNBA’s brightest young star returned Saturday afternoon versus the Liberty after missing out on five games with a quad injury and lit up the protecting champs in the Fever’s 102-88 triumph at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark’s 32 points was enough to conquer Sabrina Ionescu’s 34 and hand the Liberty (9-1) their very first loss of the season. It also put the Liberty at 3-1 in the Commissioner’s Cup standings.
Saturday was Clark’s very first game since May 24 and she didn’t miss out on a beat.
The second-year phenom torched the Liberty with seven three-pointers, which tied her career-high.
With all eyes inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse– and across the nation on the national telecast– on Clark, fans enjoyed a magnificent performance by the ex-Hawkeyes star from the opening idea.
She ended up with 17 points in the first quarter alone. 9 of them were scored in a span of 45 seconds on three deep treys that left the Liberty flustered.
The very first was fired simply 2 seconds into the 24-second shot clock 33 feet away over Marine Johannes. Twenty seconds later on, she made a 27-footer appearance easy with Natasha Cloud stopping working to stay high enough on Damiris Dantas’ screen.
The third three-pointer took a bit more work. Johannes– with the very first three-pointer fresh in her mind– truly pressed up on Clark while overcoming a screen. Clark– currently among the most intelligent young players in the game– recognized Johannes overcommitting and crossed her over on the boundary. What followed was a 31-footer that everybody in the arena knew was going in.
Despite the barrage, the Liberty handled to lead, 26-24, at the end of the first quarter.
The onslaught continued in the second, however, and even Breanna Stewart had to laugh about it. Stewart and Clark exchanged laughs after Clark drained a three-pointer over the all-world protector at the 5:26 mark. It added to 25 points by halftime on 9-of-14 shooting (6-of-10 from three).
A lot of players would be thrilled with that statline after four quarters. Clark did it in under 20 minutes.
Ionescu, however, tried to keep her team close as she totaled 17 points and 3 assists by halftime. She worked to get the load with star Jonquel Jones out with a best ankle injury. Jones’ lack intensified deep space left with Leonie Fiebich overseas with Group Germany.
Ionescu’s efforts assisted the Liberty path by three by halftime, however Indiana’s 17-0 run in the 3rd later on put the Libs down 11, the greatest deficit at the time. The dry spell stretched to 19-0 before Kennedy Burke’s made a free toss at the 3:28 mark.
The Liberty likewise suffered a second-half dry spell in the first game versus the Fever last month. In that game, they count on Jones to get the group back in front.
On Saturday, Jones wasn’t available to conserve her team and its ideal record.
The dry spell stretched to 25-3 however a couple three-pointers by Ionescu and Johannes kept the game close towards the end of the 3rd. A Liberty 9-2 run reduced the deficit to nine entering the 4th. The Fever won the 3rd quarter 27-21.
After going into the duration down 9, Sandy Brondello’s team got within 4 in the last duration. However they ultimately succumbed to more treys: this time from Sydney Colson, Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham. The Fever totaled 17 made treys on 35 attempts (48.6%), a mark too expensive for the Liberty to stand up to.
It ultimately doomed them and brought the Liberty back to reality after a great start to the season.
Originally Released: June 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM EDT