Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever entered halftime with a five-point lead over the Minnesota Lynx on Friday but struggled in the third quarter, ultimately leading to a 99-88 loss. The Fever went cold offensively during that stretch, missing their first six shots and finishing the quarter 3-for-15 from the field, allowing the Lynx to outscore them 29-12. The Lynx capitalized on the Fever’s shooting slump, turning the game around and gaining momentum.
Despite building a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Lynx faced a Fever comeback that narrowed the gap to just one point. However, Clark made a critical turnover in transition, which ended the Fever’s momentum late in the game. Reflecting on the performance, Clark was candid about her team’s struggles, emphasizing that such a lopsided third quarter made it difficult to win.
“It’s hard to win a game when they outscore you by 17 points in a quarter,” Clark remarked after the loss. She also took responsibility for the costly turnover, acknowledging that it contributed to the team’s inability to finish their comeback.
Despite the defeat, the Fever had won five consecutive games leading up to Friday’s matchup and had secured their first playoff spot since 2016.