Caitlin Clark Scores Career-High 35, Sets Rookie Mark in Fever Win

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has fond memories of meeting Seimone Augustus, the first WNBA player she ever encountered back when she attended a Minnesota Lynx game during her childhood. This past Sunday, Clark accomplished a significant milestone by setting the WNBA rookie season scoring record, previously held by Augustus. Clark described this moment as coming full circle.

“I got my picture with her on my dad’s little phone—it was maybe like a Blackberry back in the day,” Clark reflected after Indiana’s thrilling 110-109 victory over Dallas. “I vividly remember it. I was always a fan of her game and the way she could shoot the ball.”

With her accomplishment, Clark now has racked up 761 points over the course of 39 games. It’s worth noting that Augustus achieved her record of 744 points during the 2006 season when the league played only 34 games. Nonetheless, this achievement was a pivotal moment for Clark.

In addition to breaking the record, Clark also had a standout performance, scoring a career-high 35 points during the game, contributing to the Fever’s playoff hopes. The victory solidified Indiana’s position as the No. 6 seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Fever finished the game with a record of 20-19 and will conclude their regular season on Thursday against Washington.

“Everybody is definitely excited for the playoffs,” Clark expressed, emphasizing their determination as they prepare for their first postseason appearance since 2016. “We’re not just happy to be there. We really feel like we can compete with every single team.”

This season, the only team Indiana has yet to defeat is the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Although the Fever lost twice to the Aces in Indianapolis just the previous week, their offense thrived in the victory against Dallas, showcasing remarkable teamwork.

Dallas, with a dismal record of 9-30 and already out of playoff contention, performed well offensively, shooting 56.8% from the field. They were led by Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally, who each scored 27 points. Clark and her teammate Kelsey Mitchell were equally impressive, with Mitchell scoring 30 points and both players hitting six 3-pointers. This marked only the third time in WNBA history that two teammates have both made at least six 3-pointers in a single game, the first occurrence since 2010.

“We did a great job of just kind of piggy-backing our games off one another,” Mitchell said. “She’s young and she likes to play fast, and I can appreciate it. I think our pace can set us up for a lot of different stuff.”

Seimone Augustus, like Clark, was also a No. 1 draft pick. The former star from LSU had a prolific 14 out of 15 seasons with the Lynx before concluding her career with the Los Angeles Sparks. Augustus claimed four championships with Minnesota and earned three Olympic gold medals with Team USA. She is currently serving as an assistant coach at her alma mater.

Augustus averaged an impressive 21.9 points per game during her rookie season, a record still standing for scoring average among rookies, alongside 1.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 2006. Despite her individual success, the Lynx struggled that year, finishing with a 10-24 record and missing the playoffs in her first five seasons. However, Augustus helped lead the team to the WNBA Finals six times in her subsequent years with Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark continues to shine in her rookie season, averaging 19.5 points, leading the league with 8.4 assists, and contributing 5.7 rebounds per game. She set the WNBA single-season assist record recently, surpassing the previous mark of 316 established by Alyssa Thomas last year.

On Sunday, Clark tallied eight assists, bringing her season total to 329. This game marked her fourth time scoring at least 30 points while providing five or more assists, tying the rookie record set by Ogunbowale in 2019. Furthermore, it was the ninth occasion this season in which both Clark and Mitchell scored 20 or more points, with the Fever boasting a solid 7-2 record in those games.

“Kelsey makes my life easier out there,” Clark noted, acknowledging their growing chemistry on the court. “It’s hard to pick and choose when both of us are on. We just really read and understand each other better from where we were in the beginning of the season.”