Caitlin Clark Gets Trucked on an Illegal Screen, Responds with Tongue Out and Another WNBA Record

By: John Shirley | 08/29/2024

In a heated third quarter of Wednesday's game, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark was sent tumbling by a hard screen from Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas. The intensity of the moment marked just one of many clashes in a thrilling second half of WNBA action.

Clark had been on a roll, putting on a scoring clinic that included a quick five-point burst to keep Indiana in the lead. However, Thomas's aggressive pick brought her momentum to a sudden halt, sending Clark to the floor in dramatic fashion. The play resulted in an offensive foul against Thomas.

Despite the rough hit, Clark was unfazed. As she jogged back on offense with her teammates, she flashed a wink and stuck out her tongue, signaling to Thomas and the crowd that she wasn’t backing down.

Clark continued to shine throughout the game, finishing with 19 points after racking up 17 by the end of the third quarter. Earlier in the matchup, she also etched her name into the record books by hitting her 86th three-pointer of the season, breaking the WNBA's single-season rookie record.

The Fever's 84-80 victory over the Sun was a significant one, ending an 11-game losing streak to Connecticut. Clark's historic three-point shooting wasn’t the only highlight, as teammate Kelsey Mitchell became the first Fever player to score 20 or more points in five consecutive games.

Indiana's resurgence has been remarkable, improving to a 15-16 record after starting the season 1-8. With a 12-6 record since June 10, the Fever have the third-best mark in the league during that span, trailing only the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. This turnaround has put Indiana within reach of its first playoff berth since 2016.

Meanwhile, the loss dropped Connecticut to 22-8, marking their first defeat to Indiana since July 3, 2021.

Clark’s three triples brought her season total to 88 in 31 games, surpassing the previous record held by Atlanta's Rhyne Howard, who set the mark with 85 threes in 34 games last year. Reflecting on her achievement, Clark said, "I just think it speaks to the way we play offense. Just fast, uptempo. I feel like I’m definitely capable of shooting it a little bit better."