Caitlin Clark's technical foul sparks furious rally as Fever avoid elimination against Aces

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark recorded a points and assists double-double before halftime of a WNBA playoff game, a postseason first, as the Fever defeated the Las Vegas Aces 99-89 to avoid elimination. The victory forces a deciding Game 3 on Thursday.

Clark ended her night with 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds. She left the court after accumulating five fouls with 2:45 left in the final period, at which time Indiana held a 92-83 advantage. Las Vegas guard Jackie Young led the Aces with 31 points, while A'Ja Wilson contributed 22.

The momentum shift arrived in the second quarter when Clark drew a technical foul. According to the report, Clark was frustrated with the officiating following an apparent flop by Aces guard Mai Yamamoto amid heavy physical pressure. The incident sparked a 24-6 surge by Indiana, which forced eight second-quarter turnovers and outscored the Aces 30-17 in the frame. This run gave the Fever a 48-43 halftime lead.

In her first half, Clark posted 14 points and 11 assists in 19 minutes. She dished out 11 of Indiana's 13 team assists, feeding Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston for 30 combined first-half points in the paint.

Wilson received a technical foul in the fourth quarter for an interaction with a fan. OutKick stated it will have a story on the incident as more information is gathered.

Clark is following up a regular season in which she earned AP Comeback Player of the Year and First Team All-WNBA honors. She became the first player in league history to record 800-plus points and 300-plus assists in a single campaign.