Caitlin Clark Scores 10 in Return from Groin Injury as Fever Lose to Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries spoiled Caitlin Clark's return as they beat the Indiana Fever 80-61 on Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis.

Golden State went on a run to end the first half and held a 41-32 advantage at halftime. The lead grew to 13 points in the third before the Fever started clawing back and made it a 55-50 game.

With the Gainbridge Fieldhouse coming alive again, the Valkyries rediscovered their groove. At the halfway mark of the fourth quarter, what had been a tight battle turned into a 20-point blowout.

This was Clark's first game back since June 24. She had been sidelined with a groin injury for the last five contests.

Thanks to a combination of rust and some suffocating defense from Golden State, the reigning Rookie of the Year finished with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting. She also collected five rebounds and dished out six assists in 25 minutes of action.

Fellow All-Star Aliyah Boston had a game to forget as well. She had six points, six boards, two assists and two steals.

Guard Veronica Burton led the way for the Valkyries, scoring a game-high 21 points, while Kayla Thornton chipped in with 18 points.

The defensive end is where Golden State excelled. It held Indiana to 30.9 percent shooting overall, including 6-of-27 on three-pointers.

The Fever have four more games until the All-Star break. Last year, they closed out the first half strong before things started to click once the season resumed.

This time around, Indiana won't have a full month off to rest and sharpen up in practice. Still, building some positive momentum over the next week could be a good springboard for the second half.

Head coach Stephanie White will certainly hope for a better offensive effort from her players on Friday night against the Atlanta Dream.