Takeaways from Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's first WNBA showdown

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese renewed their rivalry on Saturday in the first WNBA meeting between the two former college adversaries.

Clark started hot for the Fever, which held on for a 71-70 win, its second of the season.

Here are three takeaways from one of the WNBA's biggest games.

1. Fever's defense fuels second win of the season

Plenty of Indiana's struggles in its first nine games stemmed from the team's lack of defensive intensity. Through Friday's games, the Fever ranked last in the WNBA in points allowed per game (91.2), allowing opponents to shoot a league-best 46.5 percent against them while only forcing 12.6 turnovers per game, the league's fourth-lowest mark.

Indiana looked like a completely different team against Chicago, holding the Sky to their second-lowest point total of the season on 40.6 percent shooting.

Forward Aliyah Boston tied a career-high with four blocks, her most in a game this season and her first four-block game since Aug. 27, 2023.

Chicago's 70 points were the fewest the Fever (2-8) have given up in 2024. To turn their season around, they need to show that same defensive effort through the final three-quarters of the season.

2. Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso will be a force

Reese, the 2023 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player (MOP), set a Sky rookie franchise record for offensive rebounds in a game (eight) in the one-point loss. She finished with 13 rebounds and had a highlight steal on a second-quarter pass from Clark.