Connecticut eliminates Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever from WNBA playoffs | News, Sports, Jobs

AP PHOTO – Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, left, shoots as Connecticut Solar guard Veronica Burton defends throughout their first-round WNBA basketball playoff recreation Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Alyssa Thomas had 19 factors and 13 assists to assist the Connecticut Solar sweep Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever out of the playoffs with an 87-81 win Wednesday night time.

The third-seeded Solar will now face both Minnesota or Phoenix within the semifinals which start Sunday.

Clark performed significantly better in Recreation 2 than she did in her postseason debut Sunday. The AP Rookie of the Yr completed with 25 factors and 9 assists, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient. Aliyah Boston added 16 factors and 19 rebounds.

Boston’s layup with 2:05 left gave Indiana a 77-75 benefit however DeWanna Bonner, who was taking part in in her WNBA report matching 82nd playoff recreation to match Lindsay Whalen, answered with a 3-pointer 14 seconds later.

Neither workforce scored on their subsequent few possessions till Marina Mabrey hit a 3-pointer from the wing with 45.5 seconds left to offer the Solar an 81-77 lead.

Kelsey Mitchell missed a 3 on the Fever’s subsequent possession and the Solar sealed the sport from the foul line.

Trailing by seven on the half, the Fever scored the primary seven factors of the third quarter to tie the sport up. The groups traded baskets till Lexie Hull’s layup gave the Fever a 48-47 lead halfway via the interval.

It was brief lived as Thomas took over, scoring 10 factors throughout a 14-4 run to shut the quarter.

Clark introduced the Fever again along with her 3-pointer giving the workforce a 71-70 lead with 3:59 left and the groups traded baskets till Bonner’s 3.

Indiana bought off to a quick begin and was up 14-6 earlier than the Solar scored the ultimate 11 factors of the primary quarter to go up by three. With 1:29 left within the quarter after a foul, Clark identified a fan sitting within the second row to an official, who known as safety over and had the person escorted to the again. The fan returned later and there have been no additional incidents.

The run continued to begin the second as Connecticut went up 26-16 on Carrington’s layup with 7:32 left within the half. The Solar led 41-34 on the half. Carrington was honored earlier than the sport because the league’s Most Improved Participant.

On the final play of the half, Erica Wheeler went in for a layup making an attempt to beat the buzzer and went flying into the courtside photographers. She was down for a couple of minutes earlier than getting up and strolling again to the locker room. She had her left thumb checked out and didn’t return within the second half.

Clark completed the half with 14 factors, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Solar have been lacking beginning guard Tyasha Harris, who injured her ankle in Sunday’s win. Mabrey began in her place.