Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever faced a tough challenge against the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, as Clark returned to the court after missing five games. However, she struggled to find her rhythm, scoring only 10 points on a night plagued by poor shooting.
The entire Fever offense had difficulty against the Valkyries, with Clark shooting 4 of 12 from the field. Despite contributing 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and a steal, Clark also had four turnovers in the 80-61 loss. Kelsey Mitchell was the only other starter to reach double digits in points, but she shot just 3 of 13.
Fans were excited to see Clark back in action, packing the stadium to witness her return. Although there was no set minutes restriction for Clark, coach Stephanie White planned to limit her playing time to shorter stretches to assess her injury response. Clark played 25 minutes in total during the game.
In her return, Clark made an immediate impact by forcing an offensive foul and grabbing rebounds early on. She scored five points early in the game but struggled to maintain momentum as the Valkyries tightened their defense. Indiana held a narrow lead after the first quarter but fell behind by halftime.
The Valkyries continued to stifle the Fever in the second half, with Clark facing pressure from their defense and committing turnovers. Despite a brief surge by Indiana, the Valkyries maintained control and extended their lead. Clark tried to spark a comeback with a three-pointer and defensive plays, but the Fever ultimately fell short as the Valkyries secured the win.
In the final quarter, a strong push by Golden State extended their lead to double digits. The Valkyries held a 64-51 advantage going into the last quarter, putting the game nearly out of reach for the Fever, who struggled to score in the fourth. Indiana missed its first seven shots of the quarter and ended the game shooting a season-low 30.9 percent.
With 4:35 remaining, Clark was substituted out and did not re-enter the game as the deficit was insurmountable. The loss brings the Fever’s record to 9-10 for the season. Clark and the team will aim to bounce back on Friday against the Atlanta Dream.
