Caitlin Clark predicted that Stephanie White would have a great night and revealed her secret to playing better

C aitlin Clark apparently knew she was in for a special night before she even stepped onto the court.

The Indiana Fever superstar produced one of the finest performances of her young WNBA career on Sunday, scoring 37 points and dishing out 10 assists as Indiana overwhelmed the Chicago Sky 113-90.

Clark also knocked down a career-high eight three-pointers, helping the Fever recover from consecutive defeats and finish a demanding five-game road trip with a victory.

What made the performance particularly interesting was Clark's admission after the final buzzer. Speaking to NBC Sports' Ashley ShahAhmadi , the three-time All-Star revealed that she had already told head coach Stephanie White that she expected to have a big game.

“Before the game started,” Clark said. “You can ask Coach Steph. I said it’s going to be one of those nights.” That prediction proved remarkably accurate.

Clark was efficient throughout the contest, shooting 13-of-24 from the field while adding three rebounds and a steal. Her eight made threes represented a new career high and contributed to an Indiana franchise record of 18 three-pointers in the game.

The performance was exactly what Indiana needed after the Fever had lost to the Dallas Wings and New York Liberty on consecutive nights. Sunday's victory improved the Fever to 25-14 and gave them an important boost heading toward the final stretch of the regular season.

But Clark's explanation for why she felt so good was considerably simpler than any complicated tactical adjustment.

Clark credits a much-needed night's sleep

After spending much of the season dealing with an exhausting schedule, Clark suggested that rest was one of the biggest reasons she felt so sharp against Chicago.

“I think I just got some really good sleep at the hotel last night from 3:00 a.m. to about 11:00 a.m.,” she added. “So I got nice hours, woke up, watched a film, went through the scout and came and played.”

The timing was significant. The Fever were playing their third game in four nights and were finishing a five-game road trip, circumstances that had already prompted Clark to acknowledge that fatigue was affecting the team.

Instead of allowing the workload to show, however, Clark looked energized against Chicago.

Her 37 points were complemented by 10 assists, making it the fifth game of her career in which she has reached at least 30 points and 10 assists. According to the Fever, Clark now has more such games than the rest of the WNBA has combined, with the rest of the league having four.

Kelsey Mitchell also produced a huge performance, scoring 30 points as Indiana's backcourt overwhelmed Chicago. The two guards combined for 67 points, while the Fever compensated for the absence of Aliyah Boston , who was sidelined with a right leg injury.

The victory also provided a response to questions about whether Indiana's exhausting schedule was beginning to catch up with the team. Clark's performance suggested that, at least for one night, the Fever still had plenty in the tank.

There was also a clear element of preparation behind the spectacular shooting display. Clark described waking up, studying film and going through the scouting report before arriving at the arena.

That combination of recovery and preparation appeared to work perfectly.

White, meanwhile, received a front-row view of the player who had predicted her own breakout performance hours earlier.

The Fever coach has increasingly relied on Clark to orchestrate Indiana's offense, and Sunday's display showed just how dangerous the team can be when its star guard is operating at full speed.

The Fever now have some valuable breathing room after completing their road trip, with the schedule providing an opportunity to recover before their next matchup.

And if Clark can continue to pair proper rest with the kind of preparation she described in Chicago, Indiana's opponents may have plenty to worry about when the playoffs arrive.