Whenever the Indiana Fever come to town, the anticipation is always for the arena to be filled to capacity. This was similarly the case when Caitlin Clark and her team faced off against the Alanna Smith-led Minnesota Lynx. While the stands were packed with spectators, records were also shattered for viewership among those who couldn’t attend the game at the Target Center.
The home game hosted by the Lynx set a new franchise record for viewership, according to Sports Media Watch. It averaged 1.57 million viewers, marking a record high for the WNBA as well. The matchup between Caitlin Clark and Alanna Smith became the seventh-most watched game in the league since 2002. Furthermore, 2024 now holds all top ten spots for viewership in WNBA history, with each of these highly-watched games involving Clark and the Fever.
To contextualize this remarkable achievement, the Lynx, a team with a storied history including WNBA Championships and multiple finals appearances, typically drew around 778,000 viewers for their games. However, their recent matchup against the Fever nearly doubled that number, reaching approximately 1.57 million viewers, despite not featuring their star player Maya Moore.
Caitlin Clark has undeniably made a lasting impact in women’s basketball, both in the WNBA and during her college career. Her dynamic playing style attracts large crowds and showcases her incredible talent under the pressure of stardom. Beyond the hype, Clark consistently delivers impressive performances, as evidenced by her contributions in the game against the Lynx, where her efforts helped bring the Fever closer to playoff contention.
The rookie once again logged the most minutes for the Fever. Clark had a mixed performance during her 37 minutes on the court, starting strong with immediate involvement in the offense from the first possession. By the end of the game, she had scored 17 points, but her shooting was off, making only five of her 17 field goal attempts. Her perfect free-throw shooting, however, contributed significantly to her scoring.
Despite her shooting struggles, Clark showed her ability to facilitate the Fever’s offense effectively, finishing with six assists. However, the Lynx applied heavy defensive pressure on her passes, resulting in six turnovers, which proved costly as the game reached its critical moments, allowing the Alanna Smith-led squad to pull ahead decisively.
On defense, Clark continued to excel by capitalizing on poor passes, securing two steals during the game. Her defensive efforts contributed to the Fever’s 81-74 victory, marking their 11th win of the season. This win could potentially build momentum for the team as they approach the final games of the season.
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