Caitlin Clark notches triple-double, Lexie Hull contributes off bench as Fever blow out Sky in season opener

The Indianapolis crowd’s roars grew progressively louder as the final names in the Indiana Fever’s starting lineup were announced Saturday afternoon. Two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana’s longest-tenured player, received a booming ovation. Then Caitlin Clark followed, with fans showering the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year with a cheer eight months in the making, since the Fever’s last game of 2024.

A revamped Fever team began its most-anticipated season in franchise history minutes later against the Chicago Sky. With only five returning players, questions about how a largely new roster would fit loomed.

The Fever provided an emphatic first answer, defeating the Sky 93-58 in a sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Clark recorded her third triple-double of her career, finishing the win with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Including Clark, four Fever players scored in double figures. Aliyah Boston contributed a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double. Indiana, which finished No. 11 in defensive rating last season, held its opponent to only 29.1% shooting from the field.

Former Central Valley High and Stanford standout Lexie Hull nearly made it five Fever players scoring in double figures. Hull totaled 23 minutes – the most off Indiana’s bench – and added nine points, nine rebounds and two steals. Hull did not make a 3-pointer but worked inside and made four of her field goals inside the paint.

Courtney Vandersloot, a former Gonzaga guard, got the start for Chicago and finished with four points and five assists in 29 minutes.

Chicago attempted 27 3-pointers, up from the league-low 14.9 it attempted per game last season. Its two frontcourt centerpieces, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, spent less time on the low block and instead tried to create chances in space. Reese finished with a 12-point, 17-rebound double-double, leading the Sky in both categories.

Seattle’s offense struggles in opener

The Storm shot 33% from the field in their 81-59 season-opening loss to host Phoenix.

Skylar Diggins scored a Storm-high 21 points and Nneka Ogwumike added 12. The rest of the team totaled 26 points.

Seattle’s No. 2 overall pick, Dominique Malonga, scored two points in nine minutes.

Satou Sabally led Phoenix with 27 points and Alyssa Thomas scored 20.

After trading former all-star Jewell Loyd in the offseason, Seattle failed to score more than 16 points in a quarter.