Caitlin Clark’s much-anticipated return to the basketball court on Wednesday afternoon did not go as planned for the Indiana Fever, who faced a significant defeat against the Golden State Valkyries. The game concluded with a score of 80-61, marking a challenging day for the Fever. Clark, in her return, managed to score 10 points, with six assists and five rebounds, shooting 4-of-12 from the field. Despite her efforts, the team struggled to keep up with the Valkyries.

Head coach Stephanie White had to make strategic decisions regarding Clark’s playtime, especially since Clark expressed her discomfort with being on a minute restriction. Clark played for 25 minutes, which was less than her average of 33.3 minutes over her first nine games. This reduction in playtime was partly due to the game’s score, as the Valkyries maintained a strong lead throughout.

The Valkyries took control early on, establishing a commanding 64-51 lead by the end of the third quarter. A pivotal moment came during the second quarter when they outscored the Fever 20-9, creating a substantial halftime deficit that Indiana could not overcome. As the game progressed and it became clear that a comeback was unlikely, Clark was benched with time still remaining on the clock.

The Fever’s overall performance was lackluster, with Kelsey Mitchell also struggling alongside Clark. Mitchell shot just 3-for-13 from the field, contributing to the team’s overall shooting percentage of 30.9% (21-for-68). In contrast, while the Valkyries had their shooting challenges, going 26-for-70 from the floor, key players like Veronica Burton and All-Star Kayla Thornton stepped up when needed. Burton led with 21 points and was particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting five out of six three-point attempts. Thornton added 18 points through a combination of three-pointers and free throws.

Looking ahead, the Indiana Fever aim to bounce back in their upcoming game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday night at home. The Dream currently hold a record of 12-7, while Indiana’s loss dropped them to 9-10 for the season.