With a season-high 34 points, Jewell Loyd helps Storm defeat Caitlin Clark and Fever 89-77.

With a swollen left eye, Jewell Loyd scored 23 of her season-high 34 points in the first half of the Seattle Storm’s 89-77 victory over the Indiana Fever on Thursday night. Caitlin Clark was limited to just three points in the second half.

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Beginning a record-setting nine-game homestand that won’t see the Storm travel until mid-July, Seattle (11-6) advanced to 2-0.

Playing in front of yet another sold-out audience, Clark finished with 15 points and seven assists. Many of the spectators were sporting different No. 22 shirts with her name across the back.

But the show was put on by Loyd.

“We were aware that it would arrive, and it does so in a tempest. in a torrent. Noelle Quinn, the coach of Seattle, stated, “We know she can rattle off points.”

With five 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes of play, Loyd had the second-highest number of points in the first half of any player in the WNBA this season with 23. After being struck accidently in the left eye late in the first quarter, she also missed over five minutes of the second half.

Loyd made ten of his fifteen attempts altogether, including six 3-pointers in the end. She had scored at least 30 points in two games this season, both of which were against Indiana. She is tied with Tina Charles for sixth place in league history with her 23 career games of 30 or more points.

Loyd had not scored 20 points in any of her previous four games, including a defeat to Las Vegas in which she managed only one point despite missing all nine of her attempts.

“I feel wonderful. Before, I felt wonderful. They simply don’t go in sometimes,” Loyd remarked.

More than 18,000 people packed Climate Pledge Arena for a sold-out show featuring Clark and the Fever—the second time in five weeks. This time, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Walter Jones, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, J.P. Crawford of the Seattle Mariners, and Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks were among the attendees.

Seattle made it tough for Indiana’s standout rookie, particularly in the second half when the Storm’s pick-and-roll defense frequently forced Clark to give up the ball. After the half, she only took two shots overall and ended up shooting 4 for 9, including 3 of 7 from three-point range.

There were other instances where Clark was visible, but her teammates couldn’t locate her.

If you frequently play off a ball screen and are blitzed, you will have to surrender the ball. It’s just the way things are,” Clark remarked.

During a drive to the basket early in the first quarter, Clark seemed to strain her left leg, but she dismissed the need for a replacement. Finding the scoresheet on a deep 3-pointer took her more than eight minutes. Despite finishing the first half with 12 points, she was unable to keep up with Loyd on the opposite end.

“We are rivals. Our goal is to triumph. Even at nine o’clock at night, it never felt very pleasant outside. Simply put, it didn’t seem to be flowing all that well, according to Clark.

For Seattle, Nneka Ogwumike finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Ezi Magbegor contributed 18 points.

For Indiana, Erica Wheeler added 15 points, and Kelsey Mitchell finished with 14.