LAS VEGAS — Caitlin Clark may be the future of the WNBA, but A’ja Wilson proved why she’s the league’s current best player on Saturday night, scoring 29 points and grabbing 15 rebounds to lead the Las Vegas Aces to a 99-80 win over the Indiana Fever.
Clark finished with eight points on 2-of-8 shooting (2-of-5 from the 3-point line), seven assists, five rebounds and six turnovers, his lowest points total coming into the game as he averaged 16.7 points.
For Indiana (1-6), Kelsey Mitchell led the team with 16 points, Temi Fagbenle had 13 and Aaliyah Boston and Lexi Hull finished with 12 points apiece.
Wilson, a two-time league MVP, made 12 of 18 shots.
Also for the Aces (3-1), Jackie Young added 22 points and Kelsey Plum added 20 points.
Freshman Kate Martin, Clark’s best friend and former University of Iowa teammate, scored a career-high 12 points, making two 3-pointers, one three-point play and three free throws after being fouled once.
Clark and Martin hugged each other before the game as they skipped away. Another former Hawkeye, Megan Gustafson, is playing in Las Vegas.
Seated courtside was former coach Lisa Bruder, who retired May 14 after 24 years leading the Hokies, along with her successor, Jan Jansen.
“I’m just so happy we could all be on the court tonight,” Bruder said before the game. “Anytime you see somebody achieve a dream and you know you might have a small part in it, it’s just so satisfying. It’s the best feeling in the world. That’s why we do this.”
Clark was one of five No. 1 draft picks in the game, along with teammates Wilson, Plum and Young of Boston and Las Vegas. Also appearing in the game were the four leading scorers in NCAA history: Clark, Plum, Las Vegas’ Daisha Fair and Mitchell.
The game was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,399, falling short of the Aces’ record at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Las Vegas opened the season with a crowd of 10,419 against the Phoenix Mercury as the Aces hoisted their second consecutive pennant. Sixteen of the Aces’ 20 home games this season have been sold out, a league record.
The WNBA didn’t do Clark and the Fever any favors with its early schedule.
This was Indiana’s seventh game in 12 days and third game in four days. It also marked the Fever’s fifth away game and fifth game overall against a team that has previously appeared in the WNBA Finals.
In contrast, Las Vegas was playing just four games this season, all at home.
The Aces looked comfortable in familiar surroundings and bounced back from a 98-88 loss to the Mercury on Tuesday night to put in their most complete performance of the season.
They outscored the Fever 22-10 in the second quarter to lead by eight by halftime and then ended the third quarter with an 11-3 run to take a 72-56 lead and take complete control.
