The New York Liberty will aim to extend a four-game winning streak Tuesday night when they face superstar Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis.
It initially looked like Clark would not be on the floor for the Fever (20-12) against the Liberty (20-13) after she picked up her eighth technical foul of the season Saturday in a win over the Chicago Sky. Clark was whistled for a tech after she bumped into a referee, and WNBA rules state that a player is suspended for a game after getting their eighth technical.
However, shortly after the game ended, the WNBA rescinded the technical, making Clark eligible for the nationally televised game against New York on ESPN.
“Certainly, I think it was the right decision. I’m glad they came to a decision quickly,” said Fever coach Stephanie White, who received a technical for arguing the call against Clark.
Clark, third in the WNBA in scoring at 21.6 points per game, is coming off a 26-point, 11-assist double-double against the Sky. Teammate Kesley Mitchell poured in 27 points and Aliyah Boston had a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds). At 24.2 ppg, Mitchell ranks second in the league in scoring.
In a recent change to the lineup, second-year forward Makayla Timpson has been starting in the frontcourt alongside Boston instead of veteran Monique Billings. Timpson posted 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 31 minutes as Indiana snapped a two-game skid.
“She gives us a different look on the defensive end because of her versatility,” White said. “She doesn’t try to play outside of herself, and I like the combination of her and (Boston).”
The Liberty have been rolling, securing a 111-71 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday behind a career-high 27 points from Marine Johannes, who shot 9-of-14 from the floor in 22 minutes off the bench.
“It just feels good,” Johannes said. “We had to stay ready and we had to stay focused. It’s just sharing the ball, playing with confidence.”
Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart leads the Liberty in scoring with 21.3 points per game, fourth-best in the league. Frontcourt mate Jonquel Jones is fifth in rebounding with 9.1 per game.
The teams have split the first two matchups, with the host Liberty winning 83-75 on June 6 and the Fever posting a 108-88 home victory on July 18.
–Field Level Media
