Caitlin Clark’s defiant statement after Fever lose to Mystics

Caitlin Clark did her best to lead the Indiana Fever to their second win of the season. She finished Friday’s matchup against the Washington Mystics with a game-high 32 points built on seven three-pointers. The 2024 Rookie of the Year made the game-tying triple with 2.1 seconds left that forced overtime.

She and Kelsey Mitchell went toe-to-toe with Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen throughout the game. The Fever backcourt duo combined for 56 points, while their opponents recorded 55. However, Washington’s Shakira Austin and Cotie McMahon contributed 19 and 13 points, respectively. 

The Mystics also shot the ball more efficiently, converting 55.9% of their attempts. Indiana struggled from the field at 39.1%, with Clark making just 10 of her 28 shots. Indiana starts the season 1-2 despite being favored in all three games.

Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark is proud of her performance against Mystics

Clark opened up about her performance during her postgame availability. She acknowledged her shooting woes but highlighted her mental toughness for continuing to compete.

“That’s like the hardest thing as a basketball player — when you’re not making shots, to really stay in it,” Clark said. “So I’m certainly proud of myself. I really, really battled, and a lot of those shots are very, very makeable.”

#Fever star Caitlin Clark on staying confident through the first 3Qs before erupting in the 4Q and OT:

“That’s like the hardest thing as a basketball player, is when you’re not making shots, to really stay in it. So, I was certainly proud of myself. Really, really battled.” pic.twitter.com/uGOE9jSiU3

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) May 16, 2026

The 24-year-old added that she has a lot of work to do, as well as her teammates.

“I finished really well around the rim and in the two-point area to start the season,” Clark said. “Today, I didn’t finish well in the two-point area. Obviously, seven-for-17 from three — obviously I got a lot of them with how the game played out — but happy with the way I shot from three. From two, I need to focus around the rim a little bit better. As I said earlier, all of us need to do that, but it starts with me.”

Indiana reached the second round of the playoffs last season despite Clark playing in only 13 games. She is back to 100% after recovering from quad, groin and ankle injuries. It may just be a matter of time before the Fever starts stringing wins together. The team’s fans hope for the best, and the superstar guard is ready to lead the charge.

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