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    • WNBA Playoffs: Sun Holds Off Caitlin Clark, Fever Reaches Semifinals, Ends Rookie Season
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    WNBA Playoffs: Sun Holds Off Caitlin Clark, Fever Reaches Semifinals, Ends Rookie Season

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    UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT - SEPTEMBER 25: Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark #22 and teammate Lexie Hull #10 show camaraderie while playing against Connecticut Sun during the first quarter of Game Two of the First Round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 25, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

    Caitlin Clark’s rookie campaign in the WNBA is now over. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

    Caitlin Clark’s debut season is now over.

    Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun concluded their opening-round playoff series against Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night. The Sun held on in a tight battle in the final minutes to take an 87-81 victory over the Fever at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, in Game 2 of their series.

    That win, which followed a 24-point victory in Game 1 on Sunday night, propelled the Sun to the semifinals for the sixth straight season. They will now face either the Minnesota Lynx or the Phoenix Mercury in the next round. As for Clark and the Fever, who were making their first postseason appearance since 2016, they now head home to Indianapolis.

    The Sun led by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, but they quickly let Clark and the Fever come back and briefly took the lead late in the period – which happened on a killer 3-pointer by Clark.

    But the Fever’s attempt to extend their season ultimately failed. The Fever made just two buckets in the final two minutes of the game, both layups, and both DeWanna Bonner and Marina Mabery added 3-pointers to give the Sun the lead again. From there, they went on to take the six-point win and secure their spot in the semifinals.

    Clark, who was named Rookie of the Year earlier this week, finished with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the loss to the Fever. She shot 10 of 23 from the field and 3 of 12 from behind the arc. She also became just the second rookie in league history, joining Maya Moore, to record 25 points, five assists and five rebounds in a playoff game. Aliyah Boston added 16 points and 19 rebounds and Kelsey Mitchell finished with 17 points. They were the only three players to score in double figures for Indiana.

    Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with 19 points and 13 assists after dropping a triple-double in Game 1. Mabrey added 17 points and Bonner finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

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    • Caitlin Clark’s rookie season is ending right where it began in Connecticut. This is a young group with a core in Clark and Boston that is poised to compete for championships in a few years. But it takes losses like this to get there. Expect the Fever to add a veteran with a lot of playoff experience in the offseason, possibly at that No. 3 or No. 4 position if they re-sign Mitchell (UFA).

    • Mitchell goes into a paint of black jerseys and Sun is back at the free throw line. DeWanna Bonner puts two more points on the board and this feels like it’s done. Everyone here is up.

    • Mitchell misses another 3, Sun grabs the rebound and Indiana fouls DiJonai Carrington to put her on the line and stop the play. She makes both to make it a six-point Connecticut lead.

    • Two bad turnovers by Indiana. Hull throws it away on an out-of-bounds play. Mitchell throws it away after grabbing her own rebound on a short 3. And Marina Mabrey (who else?) hits a 3 on the other end to extend the lead to four with 45.5 seconds left.

    • https://x.com/stevejones20/status/1839114742402589012

    • It’s another monster game for Boston. Clark and Boston are the youngest players on this young team and not far removed from the defining moments of March Madness. Sun leads 78-77 with 1:28 to go.

    • TIE BALL GAME

      The cheers continued long after Clark’s 3 gave Indiana a 71-70 lead. She led Indiana back with a fadeaway, rebound and hockey assist to Fagbenle’s 3 (Hull gets the assist). She has 25 points, seven assists, six rebounds.

      Marina Mabrey responded on the other side with a 3, Fagbenle equalizes at 73 after an assist from Boston. It will be a good last three minutes.

    • CAITLIN CLARK GIVES INDIANA THE LEAD WITH A 3!

    • 4Q: Sun 68, Fever 63

      The Fever seemingly held on to a seven-point deficit for the entire second half. Dantas and Fagbenle were involved in the offense on the last few possessions, but they couldn’t get the ball down. AT (19p/10a/5r) repeatedly stopped Fagbenle, who was struggling to control the ball, on a few possessions back and committed a shot clock violation. Indiana’s defense needs to get stops to make up for this and force a Game 3.

    • 4Q: Sun 61, Fever 52

      Two more points for Thomas (16p/10a/5r) and the Sun have a nine-point lead, with seven players on points.

      Clark has 20 points, six assists, five rebounds. Boston (12p/17r) and Mitchell (10p) are also in double figures, but Hull is 1-5 from 3-point range and Fagbenle has yet to score. The only Bemch points are two free throws by Wheeler.

    • 3Q 2:03 | Sun 57, Fever 50

      Alyssa Thomas had 12 points, 10 assists and four rebounds for the Sun

    • Fever quickly ties it at 41, forcing the Sun to take a timeout at 8:19. Lexie Hull 3 on a Clark assist, Clark drives, Boston cuts off a Clark assist

    • HALF: Sun 41, Fever 34

      Caitlin Clark leads all scorers with 14 points (5-12/2-7). She and Kelsey Mitchell (7 points, 3-8 overall) played all 20 minutes of the first half. Clark appeared frustrated late in the half with Erica Wheeler bringing the ball up on Boston’s quick inbounds passes.

      Connecticut has the Fever on the same scoring pace as the first game, which was near a season low for the Fever. White said before the game that with Mabrey in the starting lineup, they’ll have to find their reserve energy elsewhere. That’s clearly Veronica Burton, whose eight points are one of Mabrey’s team-high nine. She’s played 11 minutes.

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