Kelsey Mitchell scored 20 points and Natasha Howard recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds to help the Indiana Fever post an 85-77 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night in Boston.
Caitlin Clark scored nine of her 14 points in the final four-plus minutes, but she aggravated her groin injury in the final minute. Tuesday was just her fourth game since missing four games with the injury. Fever coach Stephanie White said postgame that Clark “felt a little something in her groin” and will be evaluated further.
Clark also had eight rebounds and seven assists while making just 4 of 14 shots.
Aliyah Boston and reserve Sophie Cunningham added 11 points apiece for Indiana (12-10), which won for the fifth time in the past seven regular-season games.
Tina Charles had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Sun (3-19), who have dropped 13 of their past 14. Leila Lacan added 19 points off the bench and Bria Hartley had 11 points.
It marks the second straight season that Connecticut played a home game in Boston, located just more than 100 miles from its home floor in Uncasville.
Clark scored nine straight Indiana points in the fourth quarter to help the Fever take control.
Clark hit a short jumper with 4:14 left in the game for her first points of the second half. She went to the free-throw line 33 seconds later and made both to give the Fever a 77-70 advantage.
A short time later, Clark buried a 3-pointer — just her second on the road this season — to give the Fever an 80-71 advantage. She was 1 of 7 on 3-pointers Tuesday and stands 2 of 35 for the season away from Indiana’s home floor.
Connecticut moved within five before Clark made two free throws with 1:17 to play. Clark then fed Mitchell for a layup to make it 84-75 with 39.3 seconds left and immediately grabbed her groin area. She left the game during the ensuing timeout.
Indiana shot 49.2 percent from the field, including 5 of 19 from 3-point range.
The Sun hit just 36.1 percent of their shots and were 5 of 25 from behind the arc.
Indiana led 56-51 after Mitchell’s basket with 3:59 left in the third quarter. The Sun rallied to forge a 60-60 tie on Aneesah Morrow’s basket with 57.1 seconds left before Boston’s hoop with 41.6 seconds to go allowed the Fever to hold a 62-60 lead entering the final stanza.
Howard scored 12 points and Mitchell had 11 as the Fever built a 44-42 halftime lead. Charles had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Sun.
–Field Level Media
