UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun were happy to finally close out an opening round series at home in two games.

Thomas had 19 points and 13 assists to help the Sun sweep Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever out of the playoffs with an 87-81 win Wednesday night.

Since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2022, the Sun have needed to win a decisive third game on the road in the first round to advance, which they did both years. This time, they were able to do it at home.

“Finally locked in and took advantage of home-court advantage,” said Thomas, who had a triple-double in a Game 1 win. “We're ready. Tested tonight and it wasn't pretty, but that's the nature of playoffs. We pulled out a gutsy win. We're hungry and ready. ... We're ready for what the playoff journey is going to unfold.”

The third-seeded Sun will now face Minnesota in the semifinals, which begin Sunday.

Thomas finished with 26 assists in the two-game series, tied with Sue Bird (2020) for the most assists over a two-game span in a postseason.

Clark played much better in Game 2 than she did in her postseason debut Sunday. The Associated Press Rookie of the Year finished with 25 points and nine assists, but it wasn't enough.

“Obviously, it’s a tough one, especially as we climbed all the way back in and just to have our opportunities late,” Clark said.

Aliyah Boston added 16 points and 19 rebounds. Her layup with 2:05 left gave Indiana a 77-75 advantage, but DeWanna Bonner, who was playing in her WNBA record matching 82nd playoff game to match Lindsay Whalen, answered with a 3-pointer 14 seconds later.

Neither team scored on their next few possessions until Marina Mabrey hit a 3-pointer from the wing with 45.5 seconds left to give the Sun an 81-77 lead.

Kelsey Mitchell missed a 3 on the Fever's next possession and the Sun sealed the game from the foul line.

Trailing by seven at the half, the Fever scored the first seven points of the third quarter to tie the score. The teams traded baskets until Lexie Hull's layup gave the Fever a 48-47 lead midway through the period.

It was short-lived as Thomas took over, scoring 10 points during a 14-4 run to close the quarter. Thomas joined Phoenix's Diana Taurasi as the only players with multiple 15-point, 10-assist performances in series-clinching games in WNBA history (including single-elimination games).

The Sun clinched their sixth consecutive appearance in the semifinal round or later, tying the second-longest streak by any team in WNBA history.

Clark brought the Fever back with her 3-pointer giving the team a 71-70 lead with 3:59 left and the teams traded baskets until Bonner's 3.

Indiana got off to a fast start and was up 14-6 before the Sun scored the final 11 points of the first quarter to go up by three. With 1:29 left in the quarter after a foul, Clark pointed out a fan sitting in the second row to an official, who called security over and had the individual escorted to the back. The fan returned later and there were no further incidents.

The run continued to start the second as Connecticut went up 26-16 on DiJonai Carrington's layup with 7:32 left in the half. The Sun led 41-34 at the half. Carrington was honored before the game as the league's Most Improved Player.

On the last play of the half, Erica Wheeler went in for a layup trying to beat the buzzer and went flying into the courtside photographers. She was down for a few minutes before getting up and walking back to the locker room. She had her left thumb examined and didn't return in the second half.

Clark finished the half with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.

The Sun were missing starting guard Tyasha Harris, who injured her ankle in Sunday's win. Mabrey started in her place.

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark and Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner continue to jaw at each other during their Game 2 matchup

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The Indiana Fever’s playoff run led by WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark came to an end at Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday night with an 87-81 loss to the Connecticut Sun, who moved on to the semifinals for the sixth straight season. 

Clark closed the chapter on her rookie season with another record, becoming the first rookie in playoff history with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a single game. 

She finished Game 2 leading the Fever with 25 points, six rebounds, and nine assists.

It didn’t come easy for the veteran Connecticut team.

Tempers flared between Clark and DeWanna Bonner early and the chippiness between both teams lasted the entire game. At one point, Connecticut went on a 16-2 run.

Clark helped the Fever get back into the game but the Sun became too much toward the end of the game.

Clark put the Fever up one point with a 26-footer with 4 minutes left in the game. But Marina Mabrey answered right back for the Sun. The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes or so with Bonner eventually nailing a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining in the game.

Mabrey would hit another clutch 3-pointer to put the Sun up four points with 46.1 seconds The Fever struggled to get any more points on the board and Connecticut would put it away.

Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with 19 points, 13 assists and five rebounds. Bonner added 15 points, and eight rebounds. Mabrey nailed three 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. 

DiJonai Carrington, who was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player before the game, had 10 points and four rebounds. 

Kelsey Mitchell had 17 points and Aliyah Boston had 16 points for the Fever.

The Sun will move onto the next round and play the winner of the series between the Minnesota Lynx and the Phoenix Mercury.

The Sun's Experience Shines Through

The Indiana Fever’s playoff run was marked by a steep learning curve. Head coach Christie Sides and her staff were tasked with game-planning against the Connecticut Sun, a team with a wealth of playoff experience. The Sun boast 222 combined postseason games, second only to the Las Vegas Aces. The Fever, on the other hand, have just 19 games under their belts.

This experience gap was evident in the Fever’s Game 1 loss. They struggled with discipline and panicked at critical moments, allowing a small deficit to turn into a blowout. The Sun, meanwhile, displayed their veteran composure, maintaining their focus and executing their game plan.

“We met a veteran team in their home arena that had enormous playoff experience, and we didn't,” Fever general manager Lin Dunn said. “And so now we've had some [experience] and let's see how we respond to that. There's no way you can talk about what it's like. You just have to experience it.”

While the Fever can make adjustments on the court, they can’t bridge the experience gap overnight. Sides emphasizes keeping perspective while still competing to force a Game 3.

“These guys, they're figuring it out, and this is going to be great for the future, to get this experience,” Sides said. She is confident that the Fever will be a contender in the coming years, saying she’ll talk about championships in three to five years.

Four of the Fever’s five starters have less than three years of WNBA experience. While they have college playoff experience, this was their first WNBA playoff run.

“It's a learning process for me, too,” Clark said. “Obviously, this is my first playoff. It’s a lot of us on this team's first playoff. We're all kind of going through it at the same point and learning. You don't always know what to expect, because a lot of us have never been here.”

In contrast, the Sun have seasoned veterans like Bonner, who has two championships under her belt, and Thomas, who is playing in her 42nd playoff game.

“[It’s] knowing what to expect from the environment [and] understanding that the margin for error is so much smaller,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said.

Thomas spoke about her own early playoff experiences, recalling the feeling of playing against more experienced teams. She emphasizes that there’s no substitute for actually going through the ups and downs of a playoff environment.

“We hadn’t been there and they had,” Thomas said. “It showed, but we also remembered that feeling and just kept building up.”

While Dunn acknowledges the experience gap, she remains optimistic about the Fever’s future.

“We've got to, we've got to move down that path where we've got more people with that type of experience,” Dunn said.

The Fever may have lost this series, but they gained valuable experience. With a roster filled with young talent, their future is bright, and they will use this playoff run as a stepping stone to future success.

The Future is Bright for the Fever

The Indiana Fever, despite falling short in their playoff debut, showed flashes of brilliance and a bright future.

Caitlin Clark's rookie season, though cut short, cemented her status as a rising star in the WNBA. She proved that she can compete at the highest level, even against seasoned veterans.

Aliyah Boston’s impressive performance demonstrated the potential of the Fever’s frontcourt. Boston, a rookie herself, displayed a dominant presence on the boards, consistently securing rebounds and challenging opponents. Her impressive double-double in Game 2 showcased her ability to impact the game in multiple ways.

With a young core of players like Clark, Boston, and Lexie Hull, the Fever have a strong foundation to build upon. They have shown that they can compete with the league’s best. Now, with a taste of the playoffs, they will enter the offseason with a renewed sense of purpose.

As they continue to learn and grow, the Fever will be a team to watch in the years to come.