INDIANAPOLIS — Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston scored 22 points apiece, Caitlin Clark had her second career double-double and the Indiana Fever won their third-straight game with an 88-81 victory over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night.
Clark had 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds plus six assists and four steals for the Fever (5-10). She also had six turnovers. NaLyssa Smith added 11 points and Erica Wheeler had nine points off the bench in a big second half.
Indiana, which has won five of seven has its first four-game winning streak at home since August of 2015.
Ariel Atkins had 27 points to lead the Mystics (2-12), who were missing injured starters Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin. Karlie Samuelson had 16 points and Stephanie Dolson 14.
Down nine entering the fourth quarter, Washington started with a 9-2 run, pulling within 70-68 on a three-point play by Emily Engstler with seven minutes to go. Wheeler quickly answered with a jumper, Clark had a steal that led to Wheeler feeding Mitchell for a layup and then Clark hit a 3 off a Wheeler assist to make it 77-68 with 5:05 left.
Wheeler's pullup at 3:25 pushed the lead to 82-71. Clark's two free throws with 12 seconds remaining wrapped it up.
Indiana never trailed but was never up by more than seven in the first half before settling for a 46-53 lead at the break. The Fever shot 55% and Smith, Mitchell and Boston were all in double figures with Clark adding nine with eight rebounds.
Atkins had 15 and Samuelson 13 for the Mystics, who were 0 for 8 from 3-point range in the first quarter and then drilled six in the second. They finished with 11 on 34 attempts (32%).
It was more of the same in the third quarter until Boston hit a rare and late 3-pointer — her fourth of the season — that pushed the lead to nine. The Fever, who had 10 free throws in the first half, had 11 in the third quarter, helping them to a 68-59 lead.
BOX SCORE
WASHINGTON (81)
Edwards 1-6 2-2 4, Kar.Samuelson 6-9 1-1 16, Dolson 5-11 0-0 14, Atkins 10-17 5-7 27, Vanloo 2-10 0-0 6, Engstler 2-5 3-3 7, Hines-Allen 1-3 0-0 2, Melbourne 1-3 0-0 2, Walker-Kimbrough 1-6 1-2 3. Totals 29-70 12-15 81.
INDIANA (88)
Smith 3-8 5-6 11, Wallace 1-5 2-4 4, Boston 8-11 5-5 22, Clark 6-12 4-4 18, Mitchell 8-11 2-4 22, Kat.Samuelson 0-2 0-0 0, Hull 1-3 0-0 2, Wheeler 4-9 0-0 9. Totals 31-61 18-23 88.
Washington 17 26 16 22 — 81
Indiana 21 25 22 20 — 88
3-Point Goals: Washington 11-34 (Dolson 4-7, Kar.Samuelson 3-6, Atkins 2-8, Vanloo 2-10, Hines-Allen 0-1, Walker-Kimbrough 0-2), Indiana 8-23 (Mitchell 4-5, Clark 2-6, Boston 1-1, Wheeler 1-2, Hull 0-1, Kat.Samuelson 0-2, Smith 0-2, Wallace 0-4).
Fouled Out: None.
Rebounds: Washington 31 (Dolson 7), Indiana 37 (Clark 12).
Assists: Washington 26 (Vanloo 8), Indiana 21 (Clark 6).
Total Fouls: Washington 16, Indiana 16.
Attendance: 17,274 (20,000)