INDIANAPOLIS — Ariel Atkins scored 26 points, including a key basket in the final minute, and the Washington Mystics held off the Indiana Fever 89-84 on Wednesday to spoil Caitlin Clark's 29-point performance.
Washington led 76-55 after three quarters before Indiana rallied behind 15 fourth-quarter points from Clark.
Clark became the first WNBA player with 29 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, five 3-pointers, five steals and three blocks in a game.
After Clark capped a 14-0 run with a free throw to pull Indiana within 85-82 with 1:05 left, Atkins answered at the other end with an off-balance shot in the lane.
Clark made two more free throws and a jump ball was called with 20.3 seconds left. Indiana forward Aliyah Boston tapped it back, but Atkins grabbed it and fell to the ground before a timeout was called with 16.9.
Julie Vanloo secured an inbounds pass and made two free throws with 16.2 left for a five-point lead to secure it.
Stefanie Dolson and Vanloo each scored 13 points for Washington (6-17). Aaliyah Edwards added 12 points and Myisha Hines-Allen had 10. The Mystics were without Shakira Austin, Brittney Sykes and Karlie Samuelson.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 15 points and NaLyssa Smith added 11 for Indiana (9-14). Lexie Hull, who made her first start of the season, finished with five points in 20 minutes.
Washington 89, Indiana 84
WASHINGTON (89) — Hines-Allen 1-8 0-0 2, Richards 0-1 0-0 0, Dolson 5-8 1-1 13, Atkins 10-17 5-6 26, Vanloo 4-10 2-2 13, Edwards 4-8 4-5 12, Engstler 2-5 0-0 4, Melbourne 3-7 2-2 9, Walker-Kimbrough 4-11 2-3 10. Totals: 33-75 16-19 89.
INDIANA (84) — Hull 2-2 0-0 5, Kat.Samuelson 3-6 0-0 8, Boston 3-4 0-0 6, Clark 7-14 10-11 29, Mitchell 6-14 3-5 15, Dantas 1-2 0-0 2, Smith 5-10 1-1 11, Wallace 1-2 0-0 2, Wheeler 3-4 0-0 6. Totals: 31-58 14-17 84.
Washington 26 25 25 13 — 89
Indiana 17 20 18 29 — 84
3-Point Goals—Washington 7-20 (Vanloo 3-7, Dolson 2-3, Melbourne 1-2, Atkins 1-3, Engstler 0-1, Hines-Allen 0-1, Walker-Kimbrough 0-3), Indiana 8-25 (Clark 5-9, Kat.Samuelson 2-4, Hull 1-1, Dantas 0-1, Smith 0-1, Wheeler 0-1, Mitchell 0-8). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Washington 31 (Hines-Allen 9), Indiana 29 (Kat.Samuelson 9). Assists—Washington 23 (Dolson 6), Indiana 18 (Clark 13). Total Fouls—Washington 18, Indiana 21. A—17,274 (20,000).
