Women's Fastbreak On SI

Caitlin Clark's Elimination Game Resume Should Ease Fever Fan Fears

Being on the brink of elimination brings out the best in Indiana Fever icon Caitlin Clark.

Grant Young

Aug 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts as she walks off the floor during the second half of a basketball game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Aug 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts as she walks off the floor during the second half of a basketball game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

After losing to the Connecticut Sun in the first game of a best-of-three-game series in the WNBA playoffs on Sunday, the Indiana Fever are now on the brink of elimination.

The Sun have been one of the WNBA's best teams for nearly a decade now, and pride themselves on elite defense. This was displayed once again on Sunday when Sun coach Stephanie White decided to blanket rookie sensation Caitlin Clark by having 6'4" player DeWanna Bonner guard her, which created problems for the Fever's entire offense.

Given how well that strategy worked for Connecticut (which was proven by Clark scoring just 11 points in 36 minutes played), it would be surprising if Bonner wasn't guarding Clark once again on Wednesday.

Yet, considering how Clark has performed in elimination games across her career, Fever fans can probably expect a bounce-back performance from the former Iowa Hawkeye.

X user @CClarkReport posted on Wednesday, "Caitlin Clark has a 25-5 career record in elimination games 👀".

Having an 83.33% winning percentage while facing elimination is extremely impressive; especially considering the added pressure that comes in situations like these.

Of course, Clark lost in her most recent elimination game when her Hawkeyes squad was defeated by Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks squad in the 2024 NCAA National Championship game.

But Clark still finished that game with 30 points (including shooting 5-13 from three-point range), 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in 39 minutes played.

If she can produce similar offensive production and efficiency on Wednesday, Fever fans have got to be feeling good about extending the Sun series to a winner-take-all contest on Friday.

Published
Grant Young

GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

Home/News