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Alyssa Thomas helps Connecticut Sun eliminate Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever from playoffs
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Alyssa Thomas helps Connecticut Sun eliminate Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever from playoffs

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 19 points and 13 assists to help the Connecticut Sun knock Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever out of the playoffs with an 87-81 win Wednesday night.

The third-seeded Sun will now play either Minnesota or Phoenix in the semifinals, which begin Sunday.

Clark played much better in Game 2 than she did in her postseason debut Sunday. The AP Rookie of the Year finished with 25 points and nine assists, but it wasn’t enough. Aliyah Boston added 16 points and 19 rebounds.

Boston made a layup with 2:05 left to give Indiana a 77-75 lead. But DeWanna Bonner, playing in her 82nd playoff game and tying the WNBA record, answered with a 3-pointer 14 seconds later.

Neither team scored again in the next few attacks until Marina Mabrey hit a three-pointer from the wing with 45.5 seconds left to give the Sun an 81-77 lead.

Kelsey Mitchell missed a 3-pointer on the Fever’s next possession and the Sun decided the game from the free-throw line.

Trailing by seven points at halftime, the Fever scored the first seven points of the third quarter to tie the game. The teams traded baskets until Lexie Hull’s layup gave the Fever a 48-47 lead midway through the period.

It didn’t last long as Thomas took over, scoring 10 points during a 14-4 run to close out the quarter.

Clark brought the Fever back with her 3-pointer, putting the team ahead 71-70 with 3:59 left. The teams traded baskets until Bonner made a 3-pointer.

Indiana started fast, leading 14-6 before the Sun scored the final 11 points of the first quarter to take a three-point lead. With 1:29 left in the quarter, Clark called a fan sitting in the second row to an official after a foul, who called security and had the person escorted to the back. The fan later returned and there were no further incidents.

The run continued from the second half when Connecticut took a 26-16 lead on Carrington’s layup with 7:32 left in the half. The Sun led 41-34 at halftime. Carrington was honored as the league’s Most Improved Player before the game.

On the final play of the half, Erica Wheeler went for a layup to beat the buzzer and flew into the courtside photographers. She was on the floor for a few minutes before getting up and walking back to the locker room. Her left thumb was checked and she did not return for the second half.

Clark finished the first half with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.

The Sun were without starting guard Tyasha Harris, who injured her ankle in Sunday’s win, with Mabrey starting in her place.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball