Score, highlights, Caitlin Clark updates

The Indiana Fever and New York Liberty meet yet again.

The Liberty are set to host the Fever on Wednesday, July 16 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which marks the third matchup of the season between the two teams, but Caitlin Clark won’t be in the lineup for the second game of a back-to-back for the Fever. Clark appeared to injure her right groin in the Fever’s 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, July 15, putting her status for Wednesday’s game in jeopardy.

She was listed as questionable vs. the Liberty early Wednesday, before being downgraded to out.

The incident happened late in the Fever’s win after Clark completed a bounce pass to Kelsey Mitchell. Clark immediately grabbed her right groin after the assist and had a grimace on her face. She gingerly walked to the stanchion and head butted it in frustration. Clark has missed 10 games this season due to a left groin injury and a left quad strain.

2025 WNBA ALL-STAR: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu headline field for 3-point contest

MORE: Caitlin Clark selects Fever teammates in WNBA All-Star draft

Wednesday’s matchup will mark the last for each team before the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend, where Clark (starter), Aliyah Boston (starter) and Kelsey Mitchell (reserve) will represent the Fever and Breanna Stewart (starter) and Ionescu (starter) will represent the Liberty. (Ionescu will play for Team Clark at the 2025 WNBA All-Star game alongside Boston and Mitchell.)

Here’s everything you need to know about the Fever and Liberty’s matchup on Wednesday:

The Indiana Fever were outscored 21-14 in the second quarter by the New York Liberty, who take a 15-point lead into halftime after leading by as many as 17. 

The Fever led the league in field goal percentage entering Wednesday’s game, with an average of 46.1% across 22 games. The Fever, however, are only shooting 32.4% from the field and missed nine consecutive shots in the second quarter. Aliyah Boston, who leads the league shooting 57.7% from the field, is still looking for her first field goal of the game, after shooting 0-of-4 in the first half. All five of her points came from the free-throw line. 

Breanna Stewart is one rebound away from her fifth double-double of the season after recording 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the first half. Sabrina Ionescu added 12 points and four assists. The Liberty are also dominating the paint (28-14) and fast break points (10-0).

Sabrina Ionescu dropped in a reverse layup to extend the Liberty’s lead over the Fever to eight points in the closing seconds of the first quarter, marking New York’s largest lead of the night. 

The Liberty shot 68.4% from the field and went 3-of-5 from 3 in the first quarter, led by Ionescu, who recorded a game-high 10 points and two assists. Natasha Cloud added seven points. 

Meanwhile, the Fever are shooing 41.2% from the field and 4-of-9 from 3. Kelsey Mitchell leads the team with eight points. Aliyah Boston has four points, but has failed to convert a field goal so far (0-of-3 FG).

What time is Fever vs. Liberty?

The New York Liberty will host the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, July 16 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston.

How to watch Fever vs. Sun: TV, stream for Caitlin Clark

• Date: Wednesday, July 16
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• Stream: Paramount+, Fubo, Liberty Live

Fever head coach Stephanie White said that she talked with Caitlin Clark Wednesday to see where she is mentally after another injury.

“The most important thing for us is to keep her upbeat, continue to support her and let her know we got her back and let her know we’re going to go battle for her,” White said before Wednesday’s game.

Even though Clark won’t play against the Liberty and her status for All-Star weekend is unknown, White said that imaging on her injured groin made her status change from questionable to out, adding there has been no discussion yet regarding Clark’s availability for the All-Star Game. White said Clark will have those conversations with her team, on which she is a captain. She is also slated to participate in the 3-point contest.

White said that the team is prioritizing Clark’s long-term health to align with the goals they set out for the season.

“I consider it good news. For me, anything we’re talking about still day-to-day is always good news for me,” White said about the injury. “Being injured and continuing to have setbacks is frustrating. Mentally, emotionally. Often times, being injured is isolating. The primary conversations we’ve had is checking in.”

Before the Fever took the floor against the Liberty, several players opined about the collective bargaining agreement meetings set to take place in Indianapolis on Thursday. The expectation is that if players are in town for the All-Star Game, they will attend the meeting.

“Obviously the meetings that are gonna happen in Indianapolis are gonna be really important, and although I’m not our team rep or on the committee, I’m still trying to understand and engage as much as possible,” Caitlin Clark said before Tuesday’s game in Boston. “It’s my second year in the league, but also this is a very important time for our league and where it’s gonna continue to grow.”

“As players there is some much stuff we need to get done,” Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said. “And hopefully Cathy (Commissioner Englebert) is open, because we are being serious. We are selling out these huge stadiums and we deserve more and they have to put their money where their mouth is. If you want us to show up and play games, then you need to pay us more. In the meeting, you are not going to see the prettiest side of people and that’s what it’s all about. We need more than what they are giving us and we are going to stand on it.”

No. Clark was ruled out of the Fever’s matchup against the Liberty on Wednesday due to a right groin injury. It marks her 11th missed game of the season, including the Fever’s Commissioner’s Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx on July 1.

MORE: Fever guard Caitlin Clark out vs. Liberty with right groin injury

The Fever and Liberty have split their previous two matchups, which each featured Clark.

The Liberty narrowly defeated the Fever, 90-88, during their first matchup in Indianapolis on May 24. Jonquel Jones finished with a team-high 26 points and 12 rebounds in the win, while Sabrina Ionescu recorded 23 points. Clark, who finished with 18 points, 10 assists and 10 turnovers in the loss, injured her left quad during the contest and was subsequently sidelined for five games.

Clark returned to action in dominant fashion during the Fever’s second matchup against the Liberty on June 14, where she dropped a team-high 32 points (25 in the first half) with a whopping seven 3-pointers in the Fever’s 102-88 win. It marked the Liberty’s first loss of the season, despite 34 points from Ionescu.

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