It’s time for round two of Caitlin Clark vs. Tiffany Hayes. The advantage is with the Indiana Fever guard right now, with her side beating the Golden State Valkyries 90-82 last week, but the back and forth between them has set the stage for a fiery rematch on May 28. Fever head coach Stephanie White knows there are areas where Clark and Co. have to improve to get over the line once again. 

“I mean, today is more about looking at some of the things that we needed to be better in and some of the things that we found success in, and continuing to hone those skills and work on that, ” White said in a pre-game press conference. 

“We’ve got the rest of the week to work on our tweaks and what we think that they’ll do, and what we want to do. But today was mostly just about working on the things that we need to continue to work on and get better,” she added. 

It was the Fever’s first-ever win over Golden State in the WNBA, having lost all three games to the newly formed franchise in 2025. And they were relentless on offense, going into the game with a clear point to prove. The Fever recorded 22 assists and shot 46% from the field. The Valkyries, despite taking 70 shots, managed to convert just 37% of theirs.

Clark finished the night with 22 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds, but it was her altercation with Hayes that grabbed the bigger headlines. The incident took place during the third quarter, when Clark and Hayes got involved in a verbal tussle after the Indiana guard said something to the latter following a made three-pointer. The tension between the two players quickly escalated. Myisha Hines-Allen stepped in to calm things down on the court before the situation could intensify further.

White, however, feels that Clark handled the situation well. 

“I thought she was great,” White said. “She’s an emotional player, and it’s one of the things that make her great. And I thought she channeled it in a way that needed to be channeled for us to be successful, and she handled it well from a physicality standpoint.”

But given the nature of the incident, the rivalry between Clark and Hayes seems far from over. That unfinished business between the two players will once again take center stage on Thursday, with Hayes and the Valkyries looking for redemption.

Clark, the Indiana Fever’s leading scorer and playmaker, will naturally be key in the upcoming game. Hayes, on the other hand, led the Valkyries with 19 points in the previous meeting and is expected to come off the bench again on Thursday. Given her role as a utility player, it will be important for head coach White to prepare a game plan that limits Hayes alongside starters Veronica Burton and Gabby Williams.

The Fever-Valkyries game was also very physical, with 50 fouls called in total. Indiana committed 26 of them. So, the Fever will need to play cleaner and avoid giving the Valkyries too many free throws. White’s team also had 18 turnovers in the last game, meaning ball security is another area they will need to improve in practice.

Defense Will Be Key Again for Stephanie White’s Indiana Fever Against the Valkyries

From a broader perspective, the game can be described as a battle of contrasts given the teams’ different skill sets. The Indiana Fever are currently the most formidable offensive side in the league, boasting the highest PPG at 93.7. On the other hand, the Valkyries are regarded as one of the better defensive teams in the league.

Golden State boasts a defensive rating of 98.8. White’s team, meanwhile, hasn’t been too good in that area, with a defensive rating of 101.8. The Fever struggled defensively in the opening three games of the season, giving up 100+ points rather easily in each of them.

But the last three games seem to have flipped the conversation. The Fever have allowed 80+ points just once in those games, and it came against the Valkyries. But even in that game, the Fever defended well in the second half, with White’s team giving away just 38 points in the final two quarters.

These were positive signs for the Indiana Fever heading into the next game and the season. With Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston, a strong offense will come naturally to them. White admitted there are areas for improvement, and she knows defense will be key to success.