Caitlin Clark Drops 45, Makes WNBA History in Fever’s Wild Comeback Win Over Storm
Some nights the box score lies. This was not one of those nights.
Caitlin Clark walked into Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday evening dealing with a back injury that had limited her to under 30 minutes in five straight games, coming off a 4-of-14 clunker against Golden State two nights prior. She’d scored 34 points combined in her last three outings. Then she dropped 45 on the Seattle Storm — a career high, a franchise record, and the centerpiece of a 110-107 Fever comeback that had 17,274 people inside the building and anyone watching from home wondering what exactly they’d just witnessed.
Clark became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 40 points and 10 assists in a single game. She reached 200 career 3-pointers in her 74th game, faster than anyone in league history. And she did it on 11-of-18 shooting, 6-of-10 from deep, and 17-of-19 from the stripe — in 29 minutes.
“Even before the ball tips, I felt like it was gonna be one of those games for me,” Clark said. “I thought this was a good opportunity for me to come out and be aggressive early, and also, I knew my team needed that, especially with [Aliyah Boston] out.”
Boston’s absence — she was sidelined with an injury — forced Fever coach Stephanie White to insert second-year forward Makayla Timpson into the starting lineup for the first time. Timpson responded with a career-high nine rebounds, eight on the offensive glass, and enough length inside to keep the Fever afloat during stretches when their defense was getting shredded.
And shredded it was. The Fever built a 17-point first-half lead, then watched Seattle shoot 57 percent from the field, score 56 before halftime, and carry an 88-82 advantage into the fourth quarter. Storm center Dominique Malonga was the engine — 28 points, 14 rebounds, 13-of-22 shooting — and Awa Fam torched Indiana for 12 third-quarter points on four increasingly absurd three-pointers. All five Seattle starters scored in double figures. The Storm still lost their fifth straight.
The fourth quarter is where Clark stopped being a point guard and became a closing pitcher. With 54.9 seconds remaining, she tracked down Flau’jae Johnson on a transition layup and blocked it — not a token swipe, a clean rejection that preserved possession. On the next trip down, she shook free and buried her sixth three-pointer of the night, a side-step from the left wing with 38.1 seconds left that put Indiana up 105-102. They never trailed again.
“That was a heck of a defensive play,” White said of the block. “Not just to get a hand on it and strip it, then to maintain our possession. I thought there were three defensive possessions she had in that last four minutes that were big time for us.”
Clark’s 10 assists included a feed to Monique Billings for a game-tying and-one late in the fourth. Kelsey Mitchell added 30 — 17 in the first quarter alone, her most in any opening frame — and the Clark-Mitchell combined 75 points set a WNBA record for teammates in a single game. Mitchell has now scored 20-plus in nine consecutive outings.
The Fever outscored Seattle 28-19 in the final period, overcame a 35-26 rebounding deficit by forcing five more turnovers than they committed, and hit 28 of 31 free throws. Indiana improved to 15-10. Seattle had a chance to tie in the closing seconds but couldn’t connect from beyond the arc.
It was Clark’s third game this season — and fourth of her career — with at least 30 points and 10 assists. No other player in WNBA history has more than one. Her previous career high was 35, set against Dallas in September 2024. She obliterated it by 10 while on a minutes restriction for a back injury that has nagged her all season.
“She played at her pace,” White said. “She didn’t get rushed. It finally all came together.”
The Fever host the New York Liberty on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the final buzzer. White said Clark is expected to play.
Sources:
- Caitlin Clark reaches pair of career milestones in victory over Storm — Yahoo Sports / USA TODAY
- Caitlin Clark goes absolutely bonkers in Fever’s thrilling win over Storm — Yahoo Sports / The Sporting News
- Caitlin Clark breaks franchise scoring record in Fever’s comeback win over Storm — Yahoo Sports / The Athletic
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score tonight in Fever vs Storm? — Yahoo Sports / Indianapolis Star
- Fever blow 17-point lead, comeback behind Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking game — Yahoo Sports / Indianapolis Star