Previously, Fever 'would crumble' after Liberty's 3Q run. Saturday, Indiana responded with epic run of its own

INDIANAPOLIS – With only two timeouts remaining in the game, the Indiana Fever coaching staff cautioned their players at halftime against allowing a New York Liberty run to start the second half. Still, New York scored the first nine points of the third to go up 59-53 with 7:31 left in the quarter.

Indiana countered the Liberty’s third-quarter start with a 25-3 run over the next five minutes en route to a 102-88 victory over the defending champions. New York’s loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday was the first of its season.

“We had to figure out how to play through it and go on a run on our own,” Caitlin Clark said. “This is where we grew today; in the past, that’s where we would crumble. That’s exactly where we crumbled in Atlanta in our last game. We were tied at half, came out in the third quarter, and fell apart. Today, we really stuck together. I’m just proud of everybody.”

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) celebrate Saturday, June 14, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the New York Liberty, 102-88.

Clark finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. In her first game since since suffering a quad strain on May 24, Clark scored 25 points in the first half, the third-most in a single half in Fever history. Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points and Lexie Hull posted 14.

Hull believes the team’s ability to trust one another through challenging moments contributed to their third-quarter run and acknowledged Sophie Cunningham’s contribution, who had a game-high plus-minus of +31 in her return from an ankle injury.

“We understand that basketball is a game of runs and that we cannot give up in those moments. Especially in that run, our bench came in and provided some really good minutes,” Hull said. “I think just being able to trust 1 through 11. We are going to go out there and have each other’s backs and work through those tough times. 

“New York is a really good team. They are going to go on runs, and they are going to have those moments where we can’t stop them for a period of time, but it’s how we fix that momentum. I’m really proud of our group for staying with it.”

The Fever forced four Liberty turnovers in the third and held New York to four made field goals after its 9-0 run to start the second half. Fever coach Stephanie White praised her team after the game for their “defensive execution.” 

The Fever’s valiant effort in the third reflected what White believes her group embodies: resilience. 

“It hasn’t been easy and it’s not going to be. Winning is hard. You have to go through ups and downs; life is hard. This group stays together and draws strength from one another. I draw strength from them and I hope they draw strength from us,” White said. “Every single day that we take one step forward together, we are building trust. There are not many teams who position themselves to win and win consistently that don’t have trust.”

White knows a long season still lies ahead, and the Fever can’t be content with one ambitious performance.

“I’m proud of the resilience that they’ve shown, and now we have to continue to build on it," White siad. "Continue to stack our days."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Previously, Fever 'would crumble' after Liberty's 3Q run. Saturday, Indiana responded with epic run of its own