September 23, 2024

Caitlin Clark struggles in WNBA playoff debut, sports black eye

Caitlin Clark got her first taste of WNBA postseason action Sunday as the Indiana Fever lost to the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series.

Clark, expected to easily win Rookie of the Year, got popped in the right eye by Dijonai Carrington early in the first quarter when Carrington was going after the ball. No foul was called. Clark didn’t miss any time and it didn’t appear to affect her game.

She scored her first career postseason points on a reverse layup with 3:16 remaining in the first quarter. Clark finally got her first 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Clark finished with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. She also had eight assists and just two turnovers.

Game 2 is Wednesday in Connecticut at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Sun can advance to the semifinals with a win. The Fever must win to force a decisive Game 3, which would be in Indiananpolis.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY