The ball just kept going in. With family courtside, Fevers Lexie Hull steals the show

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin |A| Clark is a certified |B| fan of Lexie Hull. |C| Just minutes after Indianas |D| 92-75 win over the |E| Seattle Storm on Sunday, |F| Clark, who has become |G| close with Hull since |H| she joined the team, |J| posted on X: This |K| is now a Lexie |L| Hull fan account.

My |M| whole account will be |O| about Lexie, Clark joked |P| postgame. Im going to |Q| change my bio to |R| Lexie Hull Fan Page.

|S| dir="ltr">Her declaration was following |U| a trend — a |V| lot of Fever fans |Y| likely became fans of |Z| Lexie Hull, too, after |A| her career night gave |B| the Fever their first |C| win of the season |D| over the Storm.

So |E| far, Hull has had |F| an up-and-down season. She |G| was a full-time starter |H| for the Fever in |J| 2023, starting nearly every |K| game and playing through |L| a broken nose before |M| she suffered a shoulder |O| injury in August, keeping |P| her out of the |Q| final month of the |R| season.

This year, with |S| the Fever adding Clark |U| and wing Katie Lou |V| Samuelson to the starting |Y| lineup, Hull transitioned to |Z| come off the bench |A| this season. She struggled |B| with confidence in her |C| shot, especially coming off |D| a shoulder injury, and |E| sat on the bench |F| for full games with |G| multiple that were a |H| DNP-Coachs Decision. Before Sundays |J| game, she was shooting |K| 17-of-62 (27%) on the |L| season.

But it was |M| only a matter of |O| time before she found |P| her shot again. She |Q| worked her way back |R| into the rotation with |S| her defensive prowess, always |U| taking the most difficult |V| defensive assignment.

On Sunday, |Y| it all clicked.

Hull |Z| came off the bench |A| and made an immediate |B| impact, catching a ball |C| from Clark in transition |D| and laying it in |E| for an easy basket. |F| The duo did it |G| again four minutes of |H| game time later, giving |J| Clark her second assist |K| of the game — |L| and the WNBA rookie |M| assist record.

Hulls game |O| didnt stop there — |P| she hadnt even made |Q| a 3-pointer yet. Her |R| two 3s in the |S| first half marked just |U| the fifth time in |V| her 77-game career she |Y| had two or more |Z| treys in a game.

|A| dir="ltr">Then, she came alive |B| in the fourth quarter. |C| She made 3s on |D| consecutive possessions with eight |E| minutes left in the |F| game, and the sold |G| out Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd |H| got rowdier each time. |J| Four minutes later, she |K| made two more 3s |L| in quick succession — |M| achieving a new career |O| high of 22 points |P| on 8-of-10 shooting (6-of-7 |Q| from 3), putting the |R| Fever up by 12, |S| and getting fans on |U| their feet.

We had |V| just really good ball |Y| movement, Hull said. Found |Z| the open person, got |A| to our open spots, |B| and knocked down shots |C| ... the ball just |D| kept going in. So, |E| I mean, we feed |F| off of that, feed |G| off of each other, |H| and was just a |J| fun end of that |K| game.

She was wide |L| open for most of |M| those shots, too. The |O| Storm focused on the |P| Fevers usual best 3-point |Q| shooters, Kelsey Mitchell (who |R| went 5-of-8 from 3-point |S| range) and Caitlin Clark |U| (3-of-10), giving Hull ample |V| space to catch fire.

|Y| dir="ltr">She had everybody fired |Z| up, coach Christie Sides |A| said. Everybody. I mean, |B| Lexie Hull puts in |C| the work, you know, |D| she just needed to |E| see the ball go |F| in the hole. And |G| once she found that, |H| and she caught fire. |J| And then we started |K| looking for her. And, |L| you know, weve got |M| players out there that |O| just draw so much |P| attention. I mean, she |Q| was shooting some wide |R| open 3s, and she |S| put it in for |U| us. So proud of |V| her.

It was even |Y| more special for Hull |Z| as some of her |A| loved ones, including her |B| twin sister and grandma, |C| traveled to see Hull |D| play Sunday. Hull and |E| her sister, Lacie, both |F| played at Stanford from |G| 2018-22, but Lacie didnt |H| pursue a basketball career |J| beyond her collegiate years.

|K| dir="ltr">Now, Lacie lives in |L| Austin, Texas, while their |M| grandmother still lives in |O| their hometown of Spokane, |P| Wash. To have a |Q| game like that, with |R| family sitting courtside, made |S| Hulls career game a |U| magical experience.

First of |V| all, to get a |Y| win in front of |Z| anyone, its great, Hull |A| said. To win in |B| front of my grandma, |C| who came all the |D| way here from Spokane...

|E| dir="ltr">Shout out Cheryl, Clark |F| interjected.

Shout out Cheryl, |G| Hull agreed, laughing. And |H| my sister came from |J| Austin, its amazing. To |K| have them courtside was |L| super cool, too, so |M| really good, really good |O| feeling tonight.

Maybe, for |P| superstitious reasons, theyll need |Q| to sit courtside for |R| the rest of the |S| season.

We might have |U| to, Hull joked. ... |V| Well work on that.

|Y|