Fever defeats Sky, 71–70 in first WNBA meeting between Caitlin Clark and Angel ReeseIndiana won its second game of the season, improving to 2–8

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 18 points in the WNBA season’s first matchup of the season with the Chicago Sky. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark faced each other for the first time on a WNBA court on Saturday, but it was veteran Kelsey Mitchell who seized the spotlight in the Indiana Fever’s 71–70 win.

The seventh-year guard led all scorers with 18 points. Surprisingly, Mitchell went scoreless in the first quarter but picked it up in the second and fourth frames, becoming more aggressive going to the basket. NaLyssa Smith added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Fever.

Clark scored 11 points with eight rebounds, but struggled with her shot after hitting her first two three-pointers. She also had five turnovers, which continues to be a problem as Clark and her teammates learn each other’s tendencies on the court.

Kamila Cardoso had a strong WNBA debut

Saturday’s matchup was the season debut for Cardoso, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft from national champion South Carolina. Playing against her former Gamecocks teammate Aliyah Boston, the 6-foot-7 center quickly established herself near the basket, scoring six points on 3-for-3 shooting.

 

Kamilla Cardoso scores her first bucket of her WNBA career. 💪 pic.twitter.com/QpcJ5dWSV6

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 1, 2024

The Fever had difficulty matching up with Cardoso in the post, yet got away from feeding her the ball after that impressive start. NaLyssa Smith scoring down low and tougher defense by Boston likely played a role in that.

Cardoso finished with 11 points and six rebounds, shooting 5-for-7 from the floor.

Sky got physical with Caitlin Clark

After Thursday’s loss to the Seattle Storm, Clark told reporters, “I feel like I’m getting hammered.” Opponents not getting called for fouls has contributed in part to Clark’s technical fouls. With three for the season, she is now nearly halfway to the seven techs that would draw an automatic one-game suspension under WNBA rules.

The Sky continued the strategy of roughing Clark up, checking her hard as she came through the lane and worked for position. Late in the third quarter, Chennedy Carter was called for a Flagrant 1 after knocking Clark down while waiting for an inbounds pass.

 

Chennedy Carter was called for a Flagrant 1 for this foul on Caitlin Clark. pic.twitter.com/6Hd54ZD7og

— ESPN (@espn) June 1, 2024

The Fever next hit the road for a Sunday evening matchup with the New York Liberty. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET. The Sky host the Liberty on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will be televised on NBA TV.

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VIDEO: CAITLIN CLARK CAUGHT SCREAMING AT KATE MARTIN IN FEVER-ACES

On Saturday night, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever went up against Kate Martin and the Las Vegas Aces.

This was the first time the two former Iowa Hawkeyes teammates went up against each other in the WNBA. Martin took the first head-to-head matchup with a 99-80 win.

Clark had a below-average game, recording just eight points, five rebounds, and seven assists. Martin, however, had her best game as a pro, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

During the final stretch of the game, when Martin was inbounding the ball for the Aces, Clark was seen screaming at Martin to distract her from making a pass. It was all in good fun though.

Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin, Iowa Hawkeyes. Jeffrey Becker / USA TODAY Sports

The moment was captured and posted online by a basketball fan.

“This is what I was talking about”.

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Clark and Martin will battle again on Tuesday, July 2, in Las Vegas.

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ALIYAH BOSTON AND CAITLIN CLARK DISCUSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND MENTAL HEALTH! FANTASTIC ANSWERS, WORTH THE LISTEN

Caitlin Clark is one of the biggest superstars in American sports.

With that popularity comes a lot of great positives for the WNBA’s No. 1 overall pick — but it also comes with some serious negatives.

Clark is constantly hounded by fans and media, making it hard to live the normal life she once knew.

“Honestly, I feel like I talk to the media more than I get to talk to my own family … which is really kind of sad, in a way,” Clark said during a press conference earlier this week. “It’s a lot for somebody that’s 22 years old. It can be tough at times.”

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Clark’s entrance into the WNBA has been met with unprecedented fanfare. Continuing what started during her record-breaking collegiate career at Iowa, the Indiana Fever rookie is constantly scrutinized by fans and media alike.

This pressure is clearly weighing on Clark, but she’s handling her new normal with some serious grace.

May 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) smiles as she heads down court after a 3-point basket in the final seconds of the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena.

Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink’s Pregame Embrace Turned Heads Friday Night

Clark and the Fever will face off against the Los Angeles Sparks in their next matchup on Tuesday evening.

With a couple days rest before then, hopefully Clark can carve out some much-needed free time to spend with her family.