Valkyries rout the Fever as Caitlin Clark struggles in her return from injury

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Veronica Burton had 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Kayla Thornton added 18 points and eight boards, and the Golden State Valkyries beat the Indiana Fever 80-61 on Wednesday to spoil Caitlin Clark’s return.

The Valkyries held Clark to just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting as the Fever scored their second-fewest points of the season.

Clark returned after missing the past five games with a left groin injury. The All-Star captain participated in practice Monday — the first time she’d done that since getting hurt on June 26.

Golden State led 41-32 at halftime and Kate Martin scored five consecutive points in the third for a 15-point lead.

SUN 93, STORM 83

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Tina Charles set season highs with 29 points and 11 rebounds to help Connecticut end a 10-game losing streak with a victory over Seattle.

Connecticut (3-16) won its first game since June 6.

Charles made a baseline jumper with 5:36 left in the fourth quarter to give Connecticut its first lead of the game at 79-77. Charles also made two layups in eight seconds — following a steal by Saniya Rivers — for a 91-81 lead.

The Sun pulled away by scoring 11 straight points late in the fourth.

Charles finished 11 of 22 from the field for her sixth 20-point game of the season. Jacy Sheldon added 16 points and Bria Hartley had 15. Rivers scored all 11 of her points in the opening five minutes of the third.

Skylar Diggins led Seattle (13-7) with 23 points and seven assists. Gabby Williams added 21 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

MERCURY 79, LYNX 71

PHOENIX (AP) — Alyssa Thomas scored 12 of her career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and Phoenix closed on a 19-4 run to beat Minnesota.

Thomas, who was coming off her 16th career triple-double on Monday, was 14 of 24 from the field to top her previous high of 28 points. She also had eight rebounds and five assists.

Phoenix tied it at 69 and 71 before Thomas scored on back-to-back possessions to take a 75-71 lead. She scored 10 points during the Mercury’s game-closing run.

DeWanna Bonner, Thomas’ fiancee and former Connecticut Sun teammate, signed with Phoenix as a free agent on Tuesday and played her first game since June 10. Bonner, who spent the first 10 years of her career with the Mercury and helped them win titles in 2009 and 2014, finished with seven points and six rebounds in 26 minutes.

Monique Akoa Makani added 13 points and Sami Whitcomb, coming off a career-high 36 points, scored 10 for Phoenix (14-6). The Mercury were without Satou Sabally (right ankle) and Kahleah Copper (right hamstring) for a second straight game.

Courtney Williams led Minnesota (17-3) with 21 points. Napheesa Collier added 18 points and Bridget Carleton scored 10.

SKY 87, WINGS 76

CHICAGO (AP) — Rebecca Allen scored a season-high 27 points including five 3-pointers and had three blocks to help Chicago beat short-handed Dallas.

Angel Reese finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds — her 13th double-double this season — and Rachel Banham had 11 points for Chicago (6-13).

Li Yueru had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas (6-15). Rookie All-Star Paige Bueckers added 17 points on 5-of-20 shooting and JJ Quinerly scored 16.

The 6-foot-7 Li, who went into the game 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range this season, hit 4 of 7 from behind the arc.