Wash. Mystics beat Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever before WNBA-record crowd

Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Sika Kone scored 20 points off the bench and Emily Engstler and Ariel Atkins netted 17 points each to lead the Washington Mystics past Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever before the largest crowd in WNBA history.

The 20,711 fans stacked the stands from the floor to the upper deck to watch the Mystics earn the 92-91 victory in their regular-season finale Thursday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Thursday's record marked another milestone for the expanding league, which also set marks for viewership, merchandise sales and more throughout the 2024 regular season.

Clark's stellar campaign, which included setting single-season records for assists by any WNBA player and points for a rookie, undoubtedly helped fuel the surge in interest.

"I think the way I play the game is definitely something people love, whether it's the logo 3-pointers, the pace I play with, the passion I play with, the smile I play with," Clark told reporters.

"I think that's what people love. I try to interact with fans. I try to get into it with the crowd. I try to give them something to cheer about. I want them involved. It's an experience for me, but it's also an experience for them.

"I have just as much fun stepping on the court in these sold-out arenas as they do coming. I get excited to play in sold-out arenas. I want to give them what they're paying for."

The Fever, who had already secured a playoff spot, opened Thursday's game with a 20-2 run, but were outscored 60-42 in the second and third quarters. They used an 11-2 run to cut into the deficit early in the fourth, despite resting their starters over the final 10 minutes.

The Fever ended the game with a 12-3 surge, but could not completely close the gap.

Clark, a heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year honors, made 2 of 5 shots -- both 3-pointers -- and totaled eight points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Fellow Fever guard Kristy Wallace scored 17 points off the bench. Forward NaLyssa Smith logged 16 points and five rebounds. Star center Aliyah Boston and forward Katie Lou Samuelson scored 10 points apiece.

Forward Brittney Sykes and guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored a dozen points each for the Mystics.

Clark and the Fever finished the regular season a 20-20 record, the team's best since a 17-17 finish in 2016.

The Fever earned the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and will face the No. 3 Connecticut Sun (28-12) in the first round.

"They are a playoff, veteran team," Fever coach Christie Sides said. "They know what it means when the playoffs come, that it's going to be next-level and you've gotta get to that."

The winner of the best-of-three-game series between the Fever and Sun will play the No. 2 Minnesota Lynx (30-10) or No. 7 Phoenix Mercury (19-21) in the semifinals, which is a best-of-five-game series.

The No. 1 New York Liberty (32-8) will meet the No. 8 Atlanta Dream (15-25) in another first-round series. The winner will face the No. 4 Las Vegas Aces (27-13) or No. 5 Seattle Storm (25-15) in the semifinals.

The Liberty will host the Dream in the first playoff matchup at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which will air on ESPN.

Clark and the Fever will face the Sun in Game 1 of their series at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. That will air on ABC.