Sun use late 3s to eliminate Caitlin Clark, Fever

Alyssa Thomas put up 19 points and 13 assists, DeWanna Bonner and Marina Mabrey made clutch 3-pointers in the final minutes and the Connecticut Sun took down the Indiana Fever 87-81 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.

The result clinched a two-game sweep for the third-seeded Sun and ended Caitlin Clark's first season in the WNBA. The rookie phenom had a game-high 25 points plus nine assists and guided the sixth-seeded Fever back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter before Connecticut closed the door.

Bonner scored nine of her 15 points in the fourth quarter for the Sun, who will face either the Minnesota Lynx or the Phoenix Mercury in the best-of-five semifinals. Mabrey scored 17 and DiJonai Carrington and Veronica Burton added 10 points apiece.

The Sun outscored the Fever 22-7 from the foul line and 18-6 in bench points.

Connecticut led by nine to start the fourth quarter and by 11 after Mabrey's two free throws in the opening minute. A long 3 from Kelsey Mitchell helped Indiana begin to chip away, and back-to-back buckets by the Fever pulled them within 68-63 at the 5:59 mark.

Temi Fagbenle made a huge 3-pointer to cut it 70-68, and on Indiana's next possession, Clark dribbled to the left elbow and fired one in -- her first made triple since the first quarter.

Mabrey answered with a trey for Connecticut before Fagbenle tied the game at 73. Aliyah Boston and Bonner traded baskets underneath, then Boston put Indiana ahead 77-75 with an open layup.

Bonner got the last laugh, nailing a 3-pointer from the left elbow to put Connecticut ahead by one with 1:50 to play. An Indiana possession came up empty, and Mabrey supplied the dagger with an elbow 3 with 46.7 seconds left.

Mitchell scored 17 points, and she and Clark both played all 40 minutes, as did Thomas for Connecticut. Boston paired 16 points with 19 rebounds for Indiana, while Fagbenle had nine and nine, respectively.

Clark made a pull-up 3-pointer on the Fever's first possession as Indiana built a 13-4 advantage. Connecticut quickly charged back with 16 straight points to pull ahead 22-14 in the second quarter.

The Sun led 41-34 at halftime before Indiana scored the first seven points of the third quarter. The Fever took a brief lead at 48-47 when Boston nabbed a steal and threw a quick outlet pass to halfcourt for Mitchell, who hit Lexie Hull on the run for the go-ahead layup.

--Field Level Media