"Needed her out there" - Lexie Hull gives glowing review of Caitlin Clark's 5'6 proxy's winning debut for Fever

Lexie Hull and Aari McDonald helped the Indiana Fever to an 85-76 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. Hull scored all of her 14 points in the second half while McDonald, signed to a hardship deal, debuted for the Fever with impressive two-way impact. Clutch plays on both ends of the floor by Hull and McDonald enabled their team to end a three-game slump.

After the game, Hull had this to say when asked about the 5-foot-6 McDonald’s impact:

“It was huge. I told her she is 1-0 so she gotta keep that run going. We needed her out there. She was huge on defense, huge drawn offensive fouls. I’m just so proud of her and I’m happy she’s here.”

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McDonald finished the game with seven points, five assists and three steals. The impact the former LA Sparks guard had on the game went beyond the numbers. She gave the Fever offense rhythm and stood out on defense. McDonald drew an offensive foul in the third quarter, prompting Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston to stand in appreciation and excitement.

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Meanwhile, Lexie Hull led the Indiana Fever’s sizzling 31-point output in the third quarter. The sharpshooting guard drained 5-for-6 shots to help give the home team a 69-55 lead entering the final frame.

Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Aari McDonald made clutch plays to drag Fever to a slump-busting win

The Indiana Fever’s sizzling third-quarter performance gave way to a lethargic start in the final frame. After leading 69-55 to open the final frame, Indiana surrendered a 12-0 blast in the first four minutes to allow Washington to crawl within two points.

Kelsey Mitchell drained a 24-footer to give the Fever a little breathing room, but the visiting team kept pushing back. Rookie Sonia Citron scored a layup to cut Indiana’s lead to 74-73 with 3:42 left.

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Natasha Howard made a layup before Aari McDonald fed Lexie Hull for another basket. Hull’s help defense on Brittney Sykes led to a turnover that resulted in an and-1 play from Mitchell following a nifty pass from McDonald. The surge pushed the Fever to an 80-73 advantage with 1:28 to go.

Lexie Hull, McDonald and Mitchell hit clutch free throws to close the game and drag the Fever to an 85-76 win.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero