Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points and Indiana relied on a 36-point second quarter and a strong all-around game from Caitlin Clark to race past the Dallas Wings 102-83 on Sunday in Indianapolis.
The Fever’s 64 first-half points was a league best for the season. Indiana shot 16-for-21 (76.2 percent) in the second quarter and 27-for-42 (64.3 percent) for the first half. Slightly more pedestrian was their 40-for-77 mark (51.9 percent) for the game.
Dallas actually took a 16-11 lead midway through the first quarter on a Paige Bueckers 3-pointer and trailed just 28-27 after the first quarter. But Indiana ran away with its second-quarter barrage (including 10 points from Natasha Howard) and never looked back.
The Fever lead stretched as far as 76-47 in the middle of the third quarter. Dallas never pulled closer than 16 points for the rest of the game.
Indiana (11-10) placed five players in double figures. In her third game back after a groin injury, Clark scored 14 points, dished a season-best 13 assists, and tied a career-high with five steals. All-Star guard Mitchell was 8-for-12 shooting. Also reaching double figures were Howard with 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting, Aliyah Boston with 17 points and reserve Sophie Cunningham with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
Indiana’s 102 points tied a season best, two games after the Fever were held to 61 points by the Golden State Valkyries.
Dallas (6-16) got a strong game from star rookie Bueckers, who tallied 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting. Center Lu Yueru added 16 points and rookies JJ Quinerly (13 points) and reserve Aziaha James (11 points) also scored in double figures.
The Wings got little help from returning star Arike Ogunbowale, who had been sidelined with a thumb injury. She shot 0-for-10 from the floor and scored just two points in her return to action. The Wings committed 18 turnovers.
Indiana will next be in action on Tuesday against host Connecticut. Dallas will host Las Vegas on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s All-Star game.
–Field Level Media
