Caitlin Clark fever grips Washington as Fever vs Mystics game sets new all-time single-game attendance record

The Caitlin Clark effect was on full display Thursday as the Indiana Fever faced the Washington Mystics in their final regular season game. The matchup reportedly recorded a new WNBA single-game attendance record with 20,711 fans at Capital One Arena.

The Mystics' regular home venue, Entertainment & Sports Arena, reportedly has a capacity of only 4,200. The game was moved to Capitol One Arena expecting a bigger turnout for a game featuring Rookie of the Year frontrunner Caitlin Clark.

This attendance surpassed the previous record, which had been achieved on four occasions, all involving the Mystics at the Verizon Center in Washington.

On June 19, 1998, the Mystics hosted the Utah Starzz with 20,674 fans, a number repeated against the Charlotte Sting twice in 1998 and 1999, and against the Cleveland Rockers in July 1999.

The Mystics edged out Caitlin Clark’s Fever in a close 92-91 win.

Caitlin Clark finished the game with eight points, eight assists and five rebounds.

After the game, Fever forward NaLyssa Smith praised Caitlin Clark for drawing large crowds.

“This is what we've been hoping for forever... you never get used to it: just always showing up and playing in front of sold-out crowds,” she said. "And I mean, shoutout Caitlin. Shoutout Caitlin. We appreciate her."

Sika Kone led the Mystics with 20 points, while Ariel Atkins and Emily Engstler each scored 17 for Washington.

Engstler hit a 3-pointer, pushing Washington’s lead to 10 with less than five minutes to play, but the Fever rallied with a 12-1 run to cut the gap to one. However, neither team scored in the final 73 seconds, securing the Mystics' victory.

Caitlin Clark, along with Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, has helped drive record-breaking attendance and TV ratings for the WNBA. Two games between their teams drew over two million viewers each, and 25 of the 30 most-watched games this season featured the Fever.

Caitlin Clark and the Fever will face the Connecticut Sun in the playoffs

The Fever finished the regular season with a 20-20 record, a significant improvement from their 13-27 finish last year.

Ranked sixth, they’ll face the third-seeded Connecticut Sun in the best-of-three first round, marking their first playoff appearance since 2016.

The Fever lost their first three matchups against the Sun this season during their early 3-10 stretch, falling by 21, four and 17 points. However, they have since turned things around, going 17-10 and defeating the Sun 84-80 in their last meeting on Aug. 28.

The Sun boast a deep lineup including Dewanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, Marin Mabrey, DiJonai Carrington, Alyssa Thomas and Tyasha Harris, finishing the regular season 28-12.

Last year, they were eliminated by the New York Liberty in the semifinals.

Game 1 is set for Sunday, Sept. 22.