Kelsey Mitchell scores 21 points and Fever beat Aces 80-70 without Caitlin Clark

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points, Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston had double-doubles, and the Indiana Fever beat the Las Vegas Aces 80-70 on Thursday night.

Indiana's Caitlin Clark remains sidelined with a groin injury, and the Fever said Thursday there was no timetable for her return. No further injuries were discovered during medical tests this week.

Howard finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Boston had 13 points and 10 boards. Sophie Cunningham scored 15 points.

A’ja Wilson, who averaged 31.7 points in the Aces’ three-game winning streak, led Las Vegas (12-12) with 20 points. Jackie Young scored 19 and NaLyssa Smith had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Indiana (13-12) had lost two in a row, both against defending champion New York — one before the All-Star break and one following the break.

Howard scored 11 points in the third quarter, leading a 27-point effort by the Fever for a 62-56 lead entering the fourth. Indiana held Las Vegas to two points in a four-minute stretch of the final period and the Fever were up 69-62 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

The lead was 75-70 after Jewell Loyd scored for Las Vegas, but the Aces went the final 94 seconds without a point. Aari McDonald hit a 3-pointer and Cunningham added two free throws to finish it off.

Indiana led for most of the first quarter and the Fever had an 18-12 advantage with 1:40 remaining. Las Vegas made 6 of 7 free throws down the stretch to tie it at 18 heading to the second quarter.

Wilson scored six of the first eight points of the second quarter and the Aces built a 26-18 lead. After the Aces fell behind 33-29, a 3-pointer by Loyd started a 12-2 run and they led 41-35 at halftime.

Las Vegas: At Minnesota on Friday.

Indiana: At Chicago on Sunday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Las Vegas Aces' Kierstan Bell, left, is defended by Indiana Fever's Kelsey Mitchell (0) and Aliyah Boston (7) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Las Vegas Aces' Jewell Loyd (24) shoots against Indiana Fever's Aari McDonald (2) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark reacts on the sideline during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham (8) goes to the basket against Las Vegas Aces' Kierstan Bell, left, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana Fever's Lexie Hull (10) comes up with the ball against Las Vegas Aces' Jewell Loyd (24) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote Thursday on social media, “Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

A social media post from U.S. Southern Command on the capture said that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to make the capture while Noem’s post noted that, like in previous raids, a U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding and seizure.

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products, and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

Noem, in her social media post, said that the raid was carried out with “close coordination with our colleagues” in the military as well as the State and Justice departments.

“Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem added.

As with prior posts, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see it as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Last week, Trump met with executives from oil companies to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)