Caitlin Clark, Fever ride record first-half output

 Indianapolis -- In the much-anticipated inaugural clash between No. 1 draft selections Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers as professionals, it was Clark and the Indiana Fever who triumphed on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse -- and they did so in a historic manner.

The Fever scored a franchise-record 64 points in the first half, propelled by a dominant 36-15 second quarter, seizing control of the game and maintaining their lead for a 102-83 win.

Clark, the 2024 No. 1 pick, contributed 13 of Indiana's 30 assists on 40 successful field goals -- a personal season-high and a Fever record for a regulation game. This also marked Clark's 17th career game with at least 10 assists, but notably, it was her first with no more than two turnovers.

After facing injuries on two separate occasions this season -- and missing the initial Fever-Wings matchup in June -- Clark is still working to regain her usual shooting accuracy. She ended the game shooting 4-for-12 from the field and 2-for-7 from beyond the arc, totaling 14 points. However, the two-time All-Star expressed satisfaction with her playmaking and defensive contributions, where she set the tone for the Fever and recorded five steals.

No moment electrified the Fever fans more than when Clark blocked JJ Quinerly's layup attempt early in the second quarter and then delivered a stunning three-quarter-court pass to a rim-running Sophie Cunningham.