Natasha Howard came through in a big way for the Indiana Fever, pouring in 26 points to fuel an 81-76 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday night. The win helped Indiana bounce back and split the two-game series this week, following a tough 91-90 loss to Atlanta just two nights earlier.
The story of the night, however, was the rare off-night from deep for Caitlin Clark. The highly-touted rookie, known for her long-range sharpshooting, went 0-for-5 from three-point range. That cold streak marked the end of an incredible 140-game run—spanning her entire WNBA career so far, the WNBA playoffs, and nearly all of her college career at Iowa—in which she hit at least one three-pointer in every game. The last time Clark was held without a triple? Way back on January 13, 2022, when she went 0-for-6 against Purdue during her sophomore season. That’s a stunning streak of 1,225 days and 184 total games, with only two games ever where she didn’t connect from beyond the arc.
Foul trouble added to the challenge for Indiana, as both Clark and her All-Star teammate Aliyah Boston picked up their fourth fouls early in the third quarter and were forced to the bench. Despite the setback, Clark still finished with 11 points and six assists, while Boston made her presence felt in crunch time.
Late in the fourth quarter, with the game hanging in the balance, Kelsey Mitchell rose to the occasion by knocking down a crucial three-pointer to give Indiana a 76-75 lead. On the next possession, Clark delivered a slick assist to Boston for a key layup, extending the Fever’s lead to 79-76—Boston’s second made field goal of the night. Indiana held strong from there to close out the win.
On the other side, Rhyne Howard carried the load for the Dream, scoring 24 points and keeping Atlanta in the fight until the final buzzer.
Sophie Cunningham made her Fever debut after missing the first two games of the season with a right ankle sprain, contributing nine points in her return. Head coach Stephanie White confirmed that Cunningham was fully cleared and had no minutes restriction coming into the game.
Meanwhile, the Dream shared an update on Jordin Canada, announcing that the standout guard—currently sidelined with a right knee injury—is expected to resume basketball activities in the coming weeks.
Thursday’s matchup wasn’t just big on the court—it was big in the stands, too. The Dream moved the game from their usual home at Gateway Center Arena, which seats just 3,500 fans, to State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. The decision paid off, as the venue was sold out, with a crowd of 16,888 fans filling the building for one of the most electric atmospheres of the young WNBA season.
Description:
"Natasha Howard led the Indiana Fever to a thrilling win over the Atlanta Dream, as Caitlin Clark’s historic three-point streak came to an end. Get the full game breakdown, key player stats, and highlights from a sold-out WNBA showdown at State Farm Arena."