PHOENIX – The Indiana Fever (8-12) overcame a 15-point deficit against the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday for an 88-82 win at Footprint Center. Surged by Indiana’s 25-9 run in the second half, the Fever outscored the Mercury 29-15 in the third quarter and secured its first win against Phoenix this season.
For the second consecutive game, five Fever players scored in double figures, spearheaded by Fever center Aliyah Boston’s 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Boston also pulled down eight rebounds and distributed four assists. Trailing behind Boston was Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and rookie Caitlin Clark with 16 and 15 points each. Mitchell went 3-of-6 from 3-point range, went 3-of-3 from the free throw line and also grabbed three rebounds. Clark recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 12 assists and added nine rebounds in the win as well.
On Sunday, Clark earned the franchise rookie-record for most assists (138) in a debut season, passing Julie Allemand’s 128 assists in her 2020 rookie campaign.
Fever forward NaLyssa Smith pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds, 12 points, two steals, one blocked shot and one steal. Smith passed Natalie Williams for eighth place on the Fever all-time rebounds list. In her second game back since suffering a left foot injury, Fever forward Temi Fagbenle recorded 10 points off the bench, while reserves guard Erica Wheeler and forward Katie Lou Samuelson tallied six and five points each.
The Fever trailed 53-38 early in the third quarter, but a pair of runs fueled by a three-pointer and an assist from Clark narrowed Indiana’s deficit to 55-50. Mitchell then sank two back-to-back 3-point field goals to bring the score to 60-55, and the Fever secured its first lead of the night. Indiana dominated the second half, outscoring the Mercury, 50-33. Additionally, the Fever outscored Phoenix in paint points, 34-30, bench points, 21-8, fast-break points, 20-5, and outrebounded the Mercury, 42-28.
For Phoenix (9-9), only three Mercury players scored in double figures, led by center Brittney Griner’s 24 points on 8-of-13 field goal shooting and 8-of-10 free throw shooting. Griner also pulled down six rebounds and two assists. Mercury guards Diana Taurasi and Natasha Cloud followed with 19 and 15 points, respectively. Taurasi added three rebounds and three assists while Cloud dished out seven assists and tied a season-high in a game with four steals.
UP NEXT
The Fever conclude the road trip with a 9:30 p.m. ET matchup on Tuesday at the Las Vegas Aces from T-Mobile Arena. Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN.
