Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark didn’t just struggle on the offensive end in Sunday’s Game 1 blowout loss to the Connecticut Sun. Apart from going 4-of-17 overall and 2-of-13 from beyond the arc in their deflating 93-69 defeat, Clark also had a forgettable outing on the defensive side of the ball.

This is after Sun star Marina Mabrey went off to set a new WNBA Playoffs record for the most points off the bench. Mabrey, who joined Connecticut via a mid-season trade from the Chicago Sky, made sure to make an impact in her Sun postseason debut. This came in the form of a 27-point explosion all over Clark and a hapless Fever side.

 

Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey
After the game, Clark got brutally honest about getting torched by Mabrey as the newly-crowned AP Rookie of the Year admitted her shortcomings on the defensive end.

“Our defense could have been a little bit better,” Clark said. “Obviously, Marina gets hot and she’s a really good player, but I had a few lapses on the defensive end. As a shooter, once you see two in a row go in, the basket looks huge. So you can’t allow that.”

You can be sure that Clark and the Fever will be ready for another potential eruption from Mabrey when these two teams face off again on Wednesday. The Sun host Indiana again in Game 2 of this best-of-three series, with Connecticut looking to secure their spot in the second round with a win.

Clark and Co., however, won’t be going down without a proper fight.