Kelsey Mitchell poured in 27 points and Caitlin Clark broke a nearly 30-year-old rookie assist record as the host Indiana Fever topped the Seattle Storm 92-75 on Sunday afternoon. Clark finished with 23 points, and her nine assists gave her 231 for the season, the most by a rookie since Ticha Penicheiro racked up 225 for the Sacramento Monarchs, one of the league's original eight franchises. Clark set the record early in the third quarter when she made a long pass up the floor to Mitchell for a layup and a 40-34 lead. Lexie Hull was on fire from long range, making six 3-pointers and scoring 22 points, both career highs, as Indiana (13-15) salvaged its final game against Seattle after three losses this season. The Fever also matched their win total from a year ago. Hull was 6 of 7 from long range. Seattle (17-10) got 26 points from Jewell Loyd and 15 from Skylar Diggins-Smith. Nneka Ogwumike finished with 14 points on 5 of 15 shooting and contributed nine rebounds. The Storm have lost two straight. Seattle trailed 35-34 at the half and 59-58 at the end of three after a 3-point attempt by Sami Whitcomb bounced off the rim as time expired. Aliyah Boston's jumper with 5:51 to go in the game gave the Fever their largest lead up to that point at 75-65, and Indiana created even more separation when Hull hit her final 3-pointer with 4:09 to go, stretching the lead to 81-69. Indiana missed its first six 3-pointers of the day but finished 15 of 25 the rest of the way. Seattle made five 3-pointers in the first half and shot just 7-of-21 overall from long range. The Fever took command of the game in the fourth, outscoring the Storm 33-17. They led by as many as 19. --Field Level Media
Indiana Fever forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) and Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell (21) reach for a ball during the first half of a game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.