Kayla Thornton scores 16 points as Valkyries rally past Caitlin Clark, Fever 88-77

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Kayla Thornton hit two key 3-pointers over the final 4:57 and scored 16 points to go with six rebounds, and the Golden State Valkyries rallied past Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever 88-77 on Thursday night.

Clark had 11 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and her layup with 4:12 remaining pulled Indiana within two points – but Golden State had an answer to each threat.

A raucous crowd roared as the Valkyries (6-6) sold out their sixth straight home game to start the season, a matchup circled on the calendar for the expansion franchise from the day the schedule was released.

Monique Billings rebounded her own missed 3 and scored with 3:24 left. Veronica Burton hit a 3 from the top of the arc with 5:49 to play helping spark the comeback then scored again in the closing minute.

Tiffany Hayes made a go-ahead layup with 8 minutes left on the way to 14 points and Chloe Bibby scored the next time down off Hayes’ baseball pass to put Golden State up 64-61.

Aliyah Boston had 17 points and 12 rebounds on a night Clark struggled to find her shooting touch and finished 3 for 14 and 0 of 7 on 3s. Clark missed her initial six shots before a layup at the 4:12 mark of the second quarter.

Boston beat the halftime buzzer with a 3 to put the Fever ahead 44-38 at the break.

Golden State ran out to a 7-2 lead and Indiana called timeout then answered with an 14-0 burst as the Valkyries went 6:20 without scoring and missed 13 straight shots.

There were no skirmishes this time two days after the Fever’s 88-71 home win against Connecticut featured three late ejections and further discipline.

Clark’s old Iowa teammate, Kate Martin, contributed nine points and five rebounds off the bench a night after they went to dinner in San Francisco.

Fever coach Stephanie White missed the game for personal reasons and Austin Kelly filled in as acting head coach.

The Fever visit the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, while the Valkyries will host Connecticut on Sunday.