Caitlin Clark scored 21 points and dished out a season-high 14 assists as the Indiana Fever won their fourth consecutive game by defeating the visiting Toronto Tempo 113-91 on Tuesday night in Indianapolis, Indiana, in a Commissioner’s Cup clash.
Clark struggled with her shot — making just 5-of-15 field goals and 1-of-8 3-pointers — but accounted for more than half of the Fever’s 25 assists. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (9-5, 5-1 Commissioner’s Cup) in scoring with 27 points, Sophie Cunningham scored 24 off the bench, and Aliyah Boston secured her fourth straight double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
For the Fever, it was their highest scoring outing in team history for a game that ended in regulation.
Laura Juskaite paced the Tempo (7-8, 2-4) with 19 points and Marina Mabrey added 18 points and seven assists.
The Fever led for the majority of the game — holding the advantage for 80% of the night — but the Tempo tied things up late in the second quarter on a 3-point play from Mabrey. Indiana jumped back in front when Clark threw a highlight-worthy no-look assist to Makayla Timpson, who easily scored unguarded. After Sykes put Toronto in front with a 3-pointer, Clark responded with a coast-to-coast run that ended with her scoring on a layup in traffic. Clark ended the first half with nine assists.
Toronto played most of the game without starting guards Sykes and Julie Allemand. Sykes featured for just 19 minutes before suffering what appeared to be a non-contact injury and had to be helped off the floor. The Tempo called Sykes’ ailment a foot injury. Meanwhile, Allemand played just 11 minutes before being ruled out with a headache.
Indiana outscored the Tempo by 19 points in the second half to pull away, jumping ahead by as much as 24 points.
The Fever shot 52.2% from the floor and 28-of-33 from the free-throw line. Indiana also won the rebounding battle 43-27.
–Field Level Media
