Indiana

Caitlin Clark named WNBA All-Star, LeBron James and Kevin Durant offer praise for Indiana Fever star

Published

5 months ago

July 3, 2024

Caitlin Clark named WNBA All-Star, LeBron James and Kevin Durant offer praise for Indiana Fever star

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever star rookie Caitlin Clark is officially a WNBA All-Star. Clark, 22, was named an All-Star on Tuesday night. She is one of the 12 players that will make up Team WNBA in Phoenix later this month.

She is averaging 16.1 points and 7.0 assists per game. After a slow start, the Fever are 8-13 and sit in ninth place in the standings. Clark’s growth has been an important part of Indiana’s turnaround, including their four-game winning streak in the middle of June.

Clark’s skill and popularity continue to draw big crowds. Over 20,000 fans attended the Fever’s game against the Las Vegas Aces Tuesday night, and every Indiana home game has drawn at least 15,000 fans this season according to Across The Timeline. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has been among those crowds more than once.

The number of people who show up to watch Clark alone puts pressure on her to play well, as does her own perfectionist personality. She wants to be the best, and some fans expected the Fever to be great this season.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James commented on Clark’s reality and how she can best manage it this season on the Mind The Game podcast. “My advice to Caitlin… Be a horse, Kentucky Derby. Put your blinders on. Go to work. Show up to work,” James began. “Punch your clock in. Prepare yourself. Work on your game, work on your craft. Keep your mouth shut and learn from the vets.”

James went on to celebrate that the WNBA is now using charter flights to get teams around and said that Clark will do a lot for the league. He is rooting for the Indiana rookie guard.

“I hope she (Caitlin) kills. I hope Aliyah Boston does amazing,” James said. Boston was the Fever’s first overall pick in 2023. “She’s a great talent. She seems like a great gal,” James added of Clark.

Clark, who is still just a rookie, is 17th in the WNBA in points per game. The All-Star guard ranks third in assists per night. She has been terrific and led the league in fan voting for the All-Star teams — Boston finished second.

James isn’t the only NBA star who has recently shared his opinions on Clark’s performance and stature. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant commented on the Iowa product and her popularity in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

“Caitlin’s just got to continue to show up every day. The WNBA is doing a great job of showcasing her. I see her games on ESPN every other day,” Durant said after noting that Clark will be on Team USA for the Olympics at some point in her career despite being left off of the 2024 squad.

“If she continues to keep getting better as a player, her production on the court gets better, then the league will grow,” Durant added.

Indiana started the season 1-8 and had a brutally challenging schedule. Since then, Clark, Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell have guided the team to a 7-5 mark. All three of those players will be All-Stars this season.

“I think it’s great when NBA players come [to games]. I think it’s great that they’re showing their support because I think Women’s Basketball is on the rise,” Boston said last week. “They want to see great basketball, and I think coming and watching us is a great example of that. It’s great.”

Clark, Boston, and the Fever next play on June 6 when they host the New York Liberty.

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Indiana

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?

Published

2 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball heads to the Bahamas as a top 15 team.

The undefeated Hoosiers (4-0; 0-0) jumped three spots in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll to No. 15 and two spots in the latest AP Poll to No. 14. They spent nine weeks ranked in the top 15 of the AP Poll during the 2022-23 season.

Indiana will compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis this week starting with a game at noon on Wednesday against Louisville. No. 4 Gonzaga and West Virginia are on the same side of the bracket and No. 23 Arizona is also among the teams in the field.

The tournament is IU’s only chance to pick up any wins away from Assembly Hall during its non-conference schedule.

Indiana beat Louisville, 74-66, in last year’s Empire Classic. The Cardinals parted ways with Kenny Payne and hired Pat Kelsey as his replacement. They head into the event 3-1 this season — they suffered a 22-point loss to a Tennessee team that IU defeated in a pre-season exhibition — without a single returning player in their starting lineup.

The Hoosiers have won all four of their games by double-digits and averaging more than 80 points per game with four of their five starters — Mackenzie Mgbako (18.8 points per game), Myles Rice (14.8), Malik Reneau (13.5 points) and Oumar Ballo — averaging in the double-digits.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

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Indiana

How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs. Indiana Hoosiers

Published

11 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

How to Watch: Louisville Cardinals vs. Indiana Hoosiers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a four-game home stand to open up the 2024-25 season, the Louisville men’s basketball program is heading back to The Bahamas to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis, and will kick off the event against regional rival Indiana.

The Pat Kelsey era of the Cardinals is off to solid start, although they have played imperfect basketball during their 3-1 start to the season. They’re averaging 81.0 points per game and have a 18.3 scoring margin, but have shot just 29.4 percent from deep on the year, and lost by 22 to Tennessee in their lone game vs. a power conference team.

As for the Hoosiers, they’re off to an undefeated start in year four under head coach Mike Woodson. All of their games have been won by at least double figures, including an 87-71 victory over South Carolina. Mackenzie Mgbako is leading the charge for IU with 18.8 points per game.

This will be the 22nd all-time regular season meeting between Louisville and Indiana, with the Hoosiers owning a 12-9 advantage. IU has won the last two matchups against UofL, including a 74-66 decision back on Nov. 20, 2023 in their last matchup in the Empire Classic.

(Photo of Chucky Hepburn: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook – @LouisvilleOnSI
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You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X

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Indiana

New Orleans takes on Indiana, seeks to end 4-game slide

Published

19 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

New Orleans takes on Indiana, seeks to end 4-game slide

Associated Press

New Orleans Pelicans (4-13, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (7-10, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -5.5; over/under is 228

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into the matchup against Indiana as losers of four straight games.

The Pacers are 5-2 in home games. Indiana ranks fifth in the league with 17.0 fast break points per game led by Bennedict Mathurin averaging 4.5.

The Pelicans have gone 1-7 away from home. New Orleans averages 14.2 turnovers per game and is 3-4 when turning the ball over less than opponents.

The Pacers are shooting 48.7% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 48.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pacers average 103.8 points per game, 14.3 fewer points than the 118.1 the Pacers allow to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers.

Brandon Ingram is scoring 22.9 points per game and averaging 5.8 rebounds for the Pelicans.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 111.7 points, 38.9 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points per game.

Pelicans: 1-9, averaging 100.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Andrew Nembhard: out (knee), Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), James Wiseman: out for season (calf), Ben Sheppard: out (oblique).

Pelicans: Zion Williamson: out (hamstring), Yves Missi: day to day (shoulder), CJ McCollum: day to day (thigh), Herbert Jones: out (shoulder ), Dejounte Murray: day to day (hand), Jose Alvarado: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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