Fever vs. Sun final score, results: Connecticut closes door on Caitlin Clark's rookie season with late run

Sarah Effress

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Fever vs. Sun final score, results: Connecticut closes door on Caitlin Clark's rookie season with late run image

Caitlin Clark's record-breaking rookie season came to an end Wednesday at the hands of the Sun despite a valiant comeback effort from the Fever.

While Connecticut had lost Game 2 of their first-round series in each of the previous two seasons, the Sun claimed an 87-81 win at home against the Fever behind a gutsy double-double from Alyssa Thomas.

Thomas led the team with 19 points and dished 13 assists, while DeWanna Bonner and Marina Mabrey scored 15 and 17 points, respectively. Veronica Burton and Olivia Nelson-Ododa provided key contributions off the bench, combining for 18 points and nine rebounds.

Clark improved from postseason debut Sunday, collecting 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston combined for 33 points, while Boston pulled in a whopping 19 boards. But the Fever also turned the ball over 16 times to the Sun's eight and also committed nine more fouls than their opponents.

MORE: What's next for Caitlin Clark after WNBA rookie season?

The Fever took an early lead in the first quarter, but Connecticut closed the margin before the end of the frame. To start the fourth quarter, though, Indiana's Damiras Dantas kickstarted a 12-2 run to reclaim a one-point lead, with a signature Clark 3-pointer putting the Fever in front.

Mabrey and Bonner, though, fought back for the Sun, combining for 11 points in two-and-a-half minutes. The Sun emerged victorious despite being outscored 29-26 in the fourth.

Though Indiana's 2024 season has come to a close, the Fever enjoyed their best year since 2016 behind arguably the best first-year player in the history of the league. Clark broke numerous records in her first campaign and now has the entire offseason in front of her to grow and improve.

For now, Connecticut is on to its sixth straight second round appearance in hopes of collecting its first WNBA title. Here's everything that happened in the Fever vs. Sun matchup, including Caitlin Clark updates, results, highlights and live scores from the 2024 WNBA Playoff Game 2 matchup.

MORE ON CLARK AND FEVER:
Fever offseason outlook | How many points did Caitlin Clark score today? | What's next for Caitlin Clark? | What did fan say to Caitlin Clark?

Fever vs. Sun score

 1234F
Fever1420182981
Sun1724202687

WNBA HQ: Live WNBA scores | Updated WNBA standings | Full WNBA schedule

Caitlin Clark stats

  • Points: 25
  • Rebounds: 6
  • Assists: 9
  • Steals: 1
  • Blocks: 1
  • Turnovers: 3
  • FGs: 10-23
  • 3Ps: 3-12

MORE: 3 things Fever coach Christie Sides must do in Game 2 vs. Sun

Fever vs. Sun live results, updates, highlights

(All times Eastern)

Final: Sun 87, Fever 81

9:37 p.m. — Fagbenle lays in one last basket for Indiana to make the margin six, but it won't be enough. Carrington is fouled once more and hits both free throws before Mitchell sends in a last ditch layup, and then comes the whistle. Connecticut comes out with the win and therefore the series, and Clark's rookie season comes to a close.

9:35 p.m. — Mitchell misses a driving layup on the next Fever possession and Nelson-Ododa gets a rebound. Clark fouls Bonner, and she hits both free throws to effectively ice this one out. It's 85-77 Sun with 14 seconds to go.

9:33 p.m. — Indiana begins fouling, with Carrington sent to the line first. She hits both free throws to extend the lead to five. 

9:30 p.m. — It's Mabrey again for Connecticut who hits a jumper, her 14th point, after Mitchell misses a three, giving the Sun a 4-point lead with 45 seconds to go. The Fever use another timeout.

9:28 p.m. — It's an offensive slugfest in the final minutes. Boston makes two layups, sandwiching a layup by Bonner. Then, Bonner hits a three to give the Sun back a one point lead with 1:28 to go. The Fever take a full timeout. 

9:24 p.m. — That doesn't last long, as Mabrey hits a three herself on the other end, but Fagbenle hits a layup shortly after to tie it back up. It's even at 72 with 2:54 to go in the game.

9:22 p.m. — Bonner fouls Fagbenle on a layup, falling on her back and slow to get up. Then, as she has done so many times before, Clark shoots a signature three for the lead!

9:19 p.m. — Fagbenle fouls Nelson-Ododa out of the break, and she makes both shots. Clark follows that up on the other end with a jumper to keep Indiana within five. Mabrey misses and Clark grabs the rebound before Hull passes it to Fagbenle for a three—only her third of the season—pulling them within two. It's 70-68 Sun with 4:28 to go.

9:15 p.m. — The Fever hit back-to-back shots thanks to Mitchell and Dantas to narrow the deficit to five. Connecticut uses a timeout with just under six to go.

9:13 p.m. — Thomas simply cannot be stopped and makes a tough layup for the and-one as she's fouled by Hull on the play. She makes her free throw and Dantas hits a layup. Bonner keeps Connecticut's momentum, however, with her own at the other end. The Sun lead 68-59 with just under seven to go.

9:10 p.m. — With 10 minutes to go in the game and possibly in Clark's rookie season, the first points of the fourth quarter come from the free throw line courtesy of Mabrey, shooting off a foul by Hull. Fagbenle keeps the deficit at nine with a layup, then Mitchell hits her third three of the game.

End of third quarter: Sun 61, Fever 52

9:02 p.m. — Boston gets things started out of the break with a layup, then Clark bats away a layup try by Burton at the other end. It's Thomas again, however, hitting back-to-back field goals to finish out the quarter and give the Sun back a 9-point lead. Thomas leads the Sun with 16 points while Clark leads all scorers with 20.

9 p.m. — It's Thomas again with her third basket in the last three minutes. With the score at 57-50 and 2:03 remaining in the quarter, Sides calls a timeout.

8:58 p.m. — Thomas goes for the next Sun points as well, marking her 10th of the game. Nelson-Ododa extends the lead for Connecticut then Clark makes a jumper on the other end to keep Indiana within three. Clark then fouls Burton, who hits both of her free throws. 

8:56 p.m. — Mabrey commits a foul and Indiana keeps possession before Mitchell hits a 26-foot three, followed by a basket from Hull to take a one point lead. That doesn't last long before Thomas hits one on the other end off an assist from Mabrey. It's a one point game with 4:43 to go, 49-48 Sun.

8:54 p.m. — Bonner misses a pullup jumper, then Clark takes it herself all the way to the other end for a layup. Jones quickly returns the favor with a jumper to keep the margin at 4.

8:51 p.m. — Connecticut does not go down quietly, and Bonner kicks things off after the break with a jumper. Carrington steals it off Clark on the next possession and turns in a basket as well, re-extending the Sun lead to four. It's 45-41 with 6:37 to go in the quarter.

8:50 p.m. — The Sun take a timeout after losing the lead to seven straight Indiana points, including two assists and a basket by Clark. She now has 16 points, six assists and four rebounds. Boston has 14 rebounds, just nine away from the single-game playoff record.

8:47 p.m. — Indiana has possession to begin the second half and Hull hits her first three of the game. Thomas misses on the other end and Boston grabs the board with Clark finishing it off. Jones then misses and Boston grabs it again, this time laying it in herself to tie the game up at 41.

Halftime: Sun 41, Fever 34

8:30 p.m. — Clark hits her 13th and 14th points on free throws after Jones fouls her. Mabrey and Bonner miss shots at the other end and Wheeler grabs possession and passes it to Clark. Clark gets it back to Wheeler who misses the buzzer-beating layup but runs into a cameraman and does not get up. Training staff arrive quickly and she walks off the court under her own power, down seven at the half.

8:28 p.m. — Quickly after Boston's finish, Mabrey hits another jumper before Clark hits one of her own. They now have nine and 12 points respectively. Jones makes a layup for the Sun followed by a layup by Burton who passed right by Clark on her way. It's 41-32 Sun with 40 seconds to go.

8:27 p.m. — Wheeler opens after the break with two made free throws as a result of a foul by Mabrey before the timeout. Jones hits a field goal at the other end, then Boston returns the favor with a layup of her own. 

8:22 p.m. — Wheeler finds Boston at the other end and she finishes it with a jumper over Burton. Mabrey then returns the favor with her own jumper to keep the margin at six. The Fever take a full timeout with just over two minutes remaining.

8:20 p.m. — Mitchell spins and hits a layup to narrow the deficit to five. Wheeler and Jones get tied up after a Mabrey missed three and jump ball is called. Burton gains possession then Wheeler fouls Bonner, who hits both free throws to keep the Sun up 31-26 with 2:41 to go in the half.

8:17 p.m. — Bonner fouls Boston, and she hits two free throws for the Fever. Then Clark fouls Burton on a drive, and she only hits her second free throw, the Sun lead now at seven.

8:14 p.m. — Following a Sun timeout, Connecticut runs out the shot clock and Clark misses a three on the other end. Thomas gets the first points out of the break with a layup and extends the lead to eight. The Sun are up 28-20 with five minutes to go.

8:10 p.m. — Boston travels, but the Fever regain possession and Clark makes a driving layup featuring some fancy handles. Burton misses at the other end and Boston grabs the rebound before getting it to Clark, who then passes it back to Boston for her own layup. Indiana cuts the deficit to six.

8:07 p.m. — Clark hits a field goal for Indiana and Burton scores again on a layup for Connecticut. Wheeler and Clark both earn fouls, keeping possession with the Sun until Carrington scores on a layup. It's now 26-16 Sun with 7:05 in the half.

8:05 p.m. — Nelson-Ododa comes up with a big block to start the quarter on a layup by Mitchell, then Mabrey hits a layup at the other end to extend the Sun's lead. It takes another minute for another basket to fall, this time coming from Burton with a 3-point jumper.

End of first quarter: Sun 17, Fever 14

8 p.m. — Fagbenle fouls Nelson-Ododa, who makes two more free throws before time expires to extend the Sun's lead to seven. Indiana was outscored 13 to two in the last three-and-a-half minutes of play after a hot start.

7:57 p.m. — The foul is corrected and will be called on Hull and not Mitchell. Bonner then goes to the line and hits two free throws to give Connecticut its first lead of the game, 15-14 with 30 seconds in the first.

7:52 p.m. — Mabrey narrows the lead to one with a pinpoint three on the assist from Thomas. Then, Mitchell draws a foul and there's a break in play. The referees seem to be calling on security to remove an individual from the court side seats, which they do, and then Indiana challenges the foul call.

7:50 p.m. — Hull is fouled attempting a layup and hits both free throws before Thomas turns right around and makes a layup of her own on the assist from Mabrey, appealing for the foul. She doesn't get it, but hits another shot for the Sun shortly after. It's 14-10 Indiana with 1:59 to go.

7:47 p.m. — And another three falls for Clark! She pulls up from 26 feet and gives Indiana a 9-point lead before Nelson-Ododa, who replaced Jones for Connecticut, puts up a layup to slim the margin.

7:42 p.m. — Mitchell ends a 2-minute scoring drought with a triple of her own, and Carrington follows that up with a layup. Hull returns the favor with a layup on the other end, both of the Fever's last points assisted by Clark. It's 10-4 Indiana with 4:51 in the first.

7:40 p.m. — Both teams trade misses before Clark attempts another three. Bonner was guarding her and knocked the guard off her feet after the shot, but no whistle went off. Clark was visibly upset and got into it a little with Bonner before play resumed.

7:37 p.m. — Clark continues her early success, passing the ball to a wide open Mitchell who hits a field goal. Fagbenle fouls Jones on the next play and she makes both free throws for the Sun's first points. It's 5-2 Indiana with 8:14 in the first.

7:35 p.m. — Boston squares up with Jones in the circle and we're off! Jones wins the tip for Connecticut and Mabrey starts things off with a missed jump shot. The next possession, Clark pulls up for a wide open three and nails it to open scoring, the Fever up early.

Pregame

7:25 p.m. — Five minutes to tip! Tune in on ESPN and follow along here for updates.

7:20 p.m. — Looking for something to fill the 10 minutes until gametime? Here's some of the Sporting News' WNBA coverage from this week.

7:15 p.m. — Notably, Connecticut's Carrington received the title of 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player this morning. In just one year, the guard increased her average points per game by over four points and also collected more boards, steals and assists. 

7:10 p.m. — Both teams have announced their starting lineups for tonight. Sides has made one change for Indiana from Game 1, replacing Smith with Fagbenle. Otherwise, Clark, Boston, Mitchell and Hill remain in the first five.

For Connecticut, Mabrey earns the start after a 27-point performance in Game 1, replacing Harris. The other four remain unchanged, with Bonner, Thomas, Jones and Carrington set to take the court.

7 p.m. — With 30 minutes to tip for Game 2 of the first round series between Connecticut and Indiana, both teams have arrived at Mohegan Sun Arena and begun warmups. Clark and the Fever look to bring the series back home to force a deciding Game 3, but they'll have to overcome a Sun team that's favored by 6.5 points by BetMGM.

MORE: Inside the budding rivalry between Caitlin Clark and DiJonai Carrington

Fever vs. Sun start time

  • Date: Wednesday, Sept. 25
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

The Fever and Sun will clash at Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, Connecticut on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

MORE: WNBA couple faces off in Sun-Fever first round playoff series

How to watch Fever vs. Sun

  • TV channel: ESPN (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
  • Live stream: ESPN app, Fubo

Fever-Sun will be aired nationally on ESPN in the U.S. Canadian viewers can follow all the action on TSN5.

Cord-cutters can find the action on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

    Sarah Effress

    Sarah Effress Photo

    Sarah Effress is an editorial intern for The Sporting News. She is a recent graduate of Northwestern University, and loves to talk soccer and women's college sports.