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Caitlin Clark knew something special was coming before the basketball ever left the referee’s hands Friday night.
The Indiana Fever superstar delivered the greatest scoring performance of her WNBA career, pouring in a franchise-record 45 points while adding 10 assists in a thrilling 110-107 victory over the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark became the first player in WNBA history to record at least 40 points and 10 assists in the same game. Her 45 points also established a new Fever single-game record, adding another pair of milestones to her growing résumé.
After the game, Clark revealed that her confidence was unusually high before tipoff.
“I feel like some nights you have it even before the ball tips, and I felt like it was going to be one of those for me,” Clark said.
It certainly was.
Caitlin Clark trusted her preparation against Seattle
Clark was efficient from nearly everywhere on the court. She shot 11-of-18 from the field, knocked down six 3-pointers and made 17 of her 19 free-throw attempts. The three-time WNBA All-Star also recorded two rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Her impact extended well beyond her historic scoring total, especially as Indiana fought to survive a late push from Seattle.
Clark explained that visualizing a dominant performance helped her enter the game with the right mindset.
“I feel like you just have to believe you’re going to have those types of nights, and you have to visualize having those types of nights,” Clark said. “And I feel like that’s what I did.”
That confidence was tested throughout the night. The Storm scored 107 points and stayed close enough to threaten Indiana until the final seconds. Dominique Malonga led Seattle with 28 points and 14 rebounds, but the Storm never found an answer for Clark. Even when shots are not falling, Clark said she has learned to trust the work she puts in behind the scenes.
“It’s not always going to go your way,” Clark said. “Sometimes there’s going to be a stretch where the ball’s not going through the rim, and you can’t get discouraged. And I know all the time in the work that I put in, and people believe in me.”
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Fever needed more than Clark’s career night
Clark’s record-setting performance dominated the conversation, but Indiana needed several major contributions to escape with the victory. Kelsey Mitchell scored 30 points, giving the Fever one of the most productive backcourt performances in franchise history. Monique Billings added 16 points and five rebounds while helping Indiana deal with Seattle’s size inside.
Together, Clark and Mitchell combined for 75 of the Fever’s 110 points. The win was especially important because Indiana had little time to celebrate. The Fever were scheduled to return to the court Saturday night against the New York Liberty, completing a difficult back-to-back set at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Clark acknowledged that every game will not produce the same results as her masterpiece against Seattle. Replicating 45 points and 10 assists is an unreasonable expectation, even for one of the WNBA’s most explosive offensive players. Still, the performance offered another reminder of what can happen when Clark finds her rhythm early. Her combination of deep shooting, passing and aggressiveness attacking the basket forced Seattle to defend nearly every part of the court.
Friday night began with a feeling. It ended with Clark standing alone in WNBA history and the Fever celebrating one of their most memorable victories of the season.
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