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Jamal Collier, ESPN
CHICAGO – For the first time in their professional career, Angel Reese picked up a win over Caitlin Clark.
Reese did so with one of his best performances yet, scoring 25 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lead the Chicago Sky to a thrilling 88-87 win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday, despite a franchise-record 17 points. 13 assists for Clark.
Reese recorded a double-double for the eighth straight game, extending her WNBA rookie record, to help Chicago overcome a 15-point second-half deficit and earn her first win over Fifer and Clark as a pro. The Fever had won their previous two games this season, both in Indianapolis.
“This is what I do: I go out and perform,” Reese said after the match. “I do what it takes to win every day.”
Chicago finished with a 31-15 lead over the final 11:25 powered by Reese, who had as many points (15) and field goals (5) as Indiana during that span.
Reese grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on a putback to tie the game at 82 with three minutes remaining. Then, the Sky found Reese again for a layup with 53 seconds left to put Chicago ahead for good.
“She’s been going really well in transition,” Clark said of Reese. “She got a two-and-1 in transition, obviously played a really good game. I think they definitely knew they were physical with us. I think they probably watched (our last game) and saw we fouled them nonstop… 35 (free throws) …A team like this will not get away with that.”
Meanwhile, Clark held the record for the most assists by a rookie in a double-double performance in league history, but she had yet to record the 7:12 mark in the fourth quarter and attempted just three shots in the final period.
“I’m sure there’s an opportunity or two for me to try another shot at the end, but I trust my teammates,” Clark said. “Obviously 13 assists, that means my teammates scored from 13 passes. It’s a really great number, so I’ll give them the ball every time and give them a chance to score.”
Reese and Clark, two of the top rookies in this year’s WNBA class, were intertwined over their college histories. Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes lost to Reese and LSU in the 2023 national championship game, but avenged that defeat in the 2024 national semifinals before losing to South Carolina in the title game.
Both Clarke and Rees downplayed the rivalry between the two teams heading into Sunday’s expected clash. However, the game elevated its status as one of the hottest tickets in WNBA history.
The average price of tickets for Sunday’s game at Wintrust Arena was $351, according to Vivid Seats. Celebrities in attendance include Chicago-area rappers Chance the Rapper and Lil Durk. actor/comedian Jason Sudeikis; Knicks star Jalen Brunson. And Hall of Famer Cheryl Swoopes, who shared an extended embrace with Reese after the game — “told me she was proud of me,” Reese said.
“It’s good for the game, it’s good for women’s basketball, but it’s also good for women’s sports,” Reese said of the crowd. “You see NBA players and rappers and legends who have been in the league for a long time coming out and showing support. You know everyone is watching now.
“I think this is one of the biggest times right now, and we’re just continuing to keep going. I think both teams tonight did a great job of putting on a show. It was fun. I had a great time, I definitely had a great time. The other team definitely had a great time. I’m very happy that we won tonight.” “.
Despite the loss, Fifer guard Kelsey Mitchell, who has been in the league since 2018, agreed that the atmosphere created a special moment in women’s basketball history.
Although several Fever games this season were moved to larger venues due to high demand for tickets to see Clark, Sunday’s game could not be held at the United Center, which was booked with concerts Friday, Saturday (Justin Timberlake) and Sunday (Ross).
However, Wintrust Arena’s 9,872 seats were sold out.
“Today was a really good moment to be a part of,” Mitchell said. “The atmosphere, you guys, the media, the fans, your families, the little kids, I think it was a good atmosphere for us. I think women’s basketball as a whole took a big jump today.”
Sky also snapped the Fever’s four-game winning streak.
Chicago has now won back-to-back games after four straight losses.
“This losing streak spoke volumes for us, tough times in the locker room, tough conversations in the locker room,” Reese said. “But to be able to sustain that, everyone looked in the mirror and figured out what to do to get better. It doesn’t stop here, a two-game winning streak, we have to keep going.”
The Associated Press and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this story.
