Caitlin Clark’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left gave the Indiana Fever a 78-76 victory over the Washington Mystics on Monday night.
Washington rallied from a 17-point deficit and led by one after Sonia Citron’s two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining, but after a timeout, Clark caught a crosscourt pass and was all alone after Cotie McMahon went for the steal and missed.
From just in front of the logo on the left wing, Clark’s shot hit nothing but net. After Washington advanced the ball to midcourt, Aliyah Boston broke up the inbound pass and the Fever held on.
Clark finished with 19 points. She scored 10 in the first quarter, and although she picked up her third foul in the second, Indiana made it to halftime with a 43-29 lead. A four-point play by Clark pushed the advantage to 17 in the third.
Washington, which lost second-year standout Kiki Iriafen to a sprained ankle, battled back and led 74-73 after a layup by Shakira Austin. Then Clark missed two free throws with 36 seconds to play, but after a turnover by Austin, Clark found Kelsey Mitchell in transition for a layup that gave the Fever a one-point lead with 11.3 to go.
Citron received a pass cutting to the basket and drew a foul to put Washington ahead, but Clark made the most of her last shot.
Mitchell scored 15 points for the Fever and Boston added 14. Michaela Onyenwere led the Mystics with 17.
It was Clark’s second big last-second shot against the Mystics this season. Her 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left forced overtime last month, but Washington went on to win 104-102.
This game wasn’t nearly as high-scoring. Clark wasn’t called for any more fouls after her third, but three Indiana players and two from Washington finished with five.
Up next
Fever: Host Chicago on Thursday night.
Mystics: Host Toronto on Friday night.
