WASHINGTON — Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has become the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200-plus points and 50-plus assists. In the team’s 85-83 win at the Washington Mystics Friday night, Clark surged to match her career-high 30 points. Within it, she hit seven 3-pointers, the new Fever rookie record. Only three other rookies have done it, too. 

“Well, I started out missing my first two,” Clark said afterward. “That’s kind of annoying because both of them were pretty open. But I think just keep shooting, that’s what shooters do. Honestly, I thought my teammates set really good screens… no matter what you’re running, it can be really effective… once you see one and two go in your basket just looks bigger and bigger.” 

Clark took off in the third quarter. It’s when she went 3-for-5 beyond the arc, all in the last four minutes of the period. Clark celebrated the third. In the fourth, she shot 2-for-4. So Clark made five of the seven in the second half. The reason for the contrast was the Fever didn’t score in seven minutes before halftime to cling on to their 42-40 lead. They led by two after the third as well. 

Friday was filled with late-game dramatics. Clark scored the team’s last three points at the line. 

Caitlin Clark doesn’t repeat trend

Clark’s last game before Friday was May 26 against the New York Liberty. The rookie shot 1-for-10 from the floor for only three points. Safe to say, it was her poorest performance of the season to date. But Clark’s 30 points, seven 3-pointers, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals, and eight turnovers too was likely her best all-around performance to date. She shot 53% from the field. 

Postgame, Clark was courtside signing autographs for young fans leaning over the railing at Capital One Arena. Clark did the same pregame at the same spot. The rookie’s last 30-piece was May 28 in the Fever’s home loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She shot just 3-for-10 from 3-point in that contest, relying on 13 free throws to get to 30. She only needed seven on Friday. 

Fever-Mystics attendance is through the roof 

The previous attendance high this season for the Fever was 19,103 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. On Friday, it was announced that the attendance was 20,333 at Capital One, barely besting the previous high. Plenty of Fever games have been in the high ten thousand.

After Caitlin Clark fielded many of the questions for her, she said the last question of the press conference should be for teammate Kelsey Mitchell. 

Clark cheerfully tapped Mitchell’s knee and smiled over her suggestion. 

Mitchell — the veteran — was asked what it’s like to be playing in front of these bigger crowds.  

“I think I’m a part of history, so I’ll take it,” Mitchell said. “Obviously it’s a good thing for women’s basketball. I’m playing alongside this kid so it makes everything a little more dramatic and like, the people are coming out to see this person… we embrace it, I’m pretty sure our organization can feed off it… and be happy that women’s basketball and the game, where it’s going is pretty positive.”

Following Clark’s historic performance slotted in franchise history, the Fever improved to 3-9 this season and 2-1 in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. The Fever next play on Monday night at the Connecticut Sun to conclude their three-game road trip. They’re 0-2 versus the Sun this season. 

Clark scored 37 points combined in those two games, with seven 3-pointers and 15 turnovers.