Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points and made a decisive block in the final minute, and the Indiana Fever rallied for an 81-74 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Caitlin Clark scored 17 points and dished a team-high six assists for Indiana (11-14), which won its second game in a row. Aliyah Boston also scored 17 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds.
Alanna Smith scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Minnesota (16-8), which lost its second straight contest. Bridget Carleton scored 17 points, recorded seven boards and tallied six assists.
The Fever outscored Minnesota 28-14 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Cecilia Zandalasini hit a 3-pointer for the Lynx to even the score at 71-71 with 4:26 left.
Indiana closed the game on a 10-3 run. Boston started the run with back-to-back layups, Mitchell made two free throws and Clark made four free throws in the final two minutes.
The Lynx trailed 77-74 when Smith drove to the rim with less than 25 seconds to go. Mitchell quickly closed the gap on defense and blocked Smith’s layup attempt, which led to the Fever gaining possession and Mitchell getting to the line to make it 79-74.
Minnesota led 60-53 to start the fourth quarter.
The Lynx finished the third quarter on a 12-3 run to seize a seven-point advantage. Carleton led the way after halftime as she scored 11 of her 17 points in the third quarter.
The score was even 38-38 at halftime.
Clark finished the first-half scoring when she hit a jump shot with 44.1 seconds left.
The Lynx drew a sellout crowd of 18,978, which marked the largest regular-season attendance in franchise history. Clark, who grew up in neighboring Iowa, received a standing ovation as she took the court with her teammates for pregame warmups.
Clark drew a technical foul in the third quarter. As she dribbled the ball down the court, she took exception to aggressive defense from Zandalasini and flicked her right arm, which struck the defender in the face.
Napheesa Collier, the Lynx’s top scorer on the season, missed her fourth straight game because of a foot injury.
–Field Level Media
