Mitchell, Clark torch Dallas for 64 points as Indiana earns fourth consecutive win

Can anyone stop Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark? As of late, the answer has been no.

Mitchell and Clark combined for 64 points and 10 made 3-pointers Sunday as the Indiana Fever topped the Dallas Wings in a high-scoring contest. 

Mitchell finished with a season-high 36 points while Clark scored 28 points in the 100-93 road win. Since the Olympics break, the duo is scoring 51.3 points per game.

Their play has helped Indiana (17-16) move over .500 for the first time this season. The Fever have won four consecutive games and eight of their last 10.

Indiana is currently sixth in the league standings with seven games left to play in the regular season.

Mitchell, who made five 3-pointers in the win, is now 14th all-time in WNBA history with 537 career made threes. With another scoring outburst Sunday, she extended her franchise record of consecutive 20-plus point games to seven.

“For me, it’s about finding rhythm and staying confident in that rhythm,” said Mitchell, who finished the game 12-for-22 from the field. “Me and Caitlin, as well as our group, I think we have found a way to understand and know one another. But I think our pace is setting us apart from a lot of different teams. We like to get the ball up and down the court at such a high pace.”

The last time Mitchell and the Fever had a winning record was in 2019. The team started the season 4-3.

Clark was not a member of the team back then but has obviously made a significant impact this season. She passed Indiana legend Tamika Catchings Sunday for the most points in a rookie season in franchise history (currently 617 points). She also dished out 12 assists against the Wings for her 12th double-double of the season.

“When you have two guards that are both making plays, that puts other teams in a tough position of what to take away and who to put on who (defensively),” Clark said. “We’re definitely shooting it well, playing off each other well and looking for each other. I think it’s been a good balance of everything.”

The Fever scored 100 points in their last game against the Chicago Sky on Friday, making this the first time in franchise history the team has scored 100 points in back-to-back games.

So, what is behind the high scoring?

“Right now, during this time of the season you can’t really do a lot of up and down (scrimmaging) in practice,” said Indiana head coach Christie Sides. “We did a lot of shooting during the Olympic break, more than we had (before), and a lot more game-like shots. We use our practice guys to come out. I feel like all of that plays into it.”

Dallas (9-23), who was led in scoring by Arike Ogunbowale with 34 points on nine made threes, held a 23-19 advantage after one quarter of play. The Wings led 46-45 at halftime and 74-70 after the third quarter. Indiana outscored Dallas 30-19 in the fourth quarter to seal the win in a competitive game that saw 20 lead changes.

Mitchell and Clark both made two threes in the final quarter. 

Also for the Fever Sunday, NaLyssa Smith had 14 points and eight rebounds while Aliyah Boston finished with seven points and eight rebounds. Damiris Dantas added seven points and four rebounds off the bench.

“NaLyssa was awesome in the first half,” Sides said. “She kind of set the tone for us and then we just kind of flowed.”

Indiana begins a six-game homestand Wednesday as the Los Angeles Sparks (7-25) will visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever will host the Minnesota Lynx (24-9), a potential playoff opponent, on Friday.

Beth Prince State Farm Player of the Game: Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell for scoring a season-high 36 points, including five made 3-pointers. Her play in the fourth quarter helped Indiana outscore Dallas, 30-19.

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