Recreation Recap: Fever Practically Full Comeback at Mystics to Finish Common Season
Fri, Sep 20, 2024, 2:47 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Indiana Fever (20-20) got here up simply quick, 92-91, in its last matchup of the common season towards the Washington Mystics at Capital One Enviornment on Thursday evening. Thursday’s recreation was performed in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 20,711, which set a WNBA file for the most important attendance in league historical past. Indiana will now journey to face the No. 3 seed Connecticut Solar to start its first spherical sequence within the 2024 WNBA Playoffs on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Indiana’s bench completed with a season-best 53 factors scored, and 4 Fever gamers scored in double figures. Fever guard Kristy Wallace led Indiana off the bench with a season-high 17 factors and 4 rebounds. Fever ahead NaLyssa Smith adopted with 16 factors and 5 rebounds, whereas middle Aliyah Boston and reserve ahead Katie Lou Samuelson each added 10 factors and mixed for seven rebounds, six assists and three steals within the loss. Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark recorded eight factors, eight assists and 5 rebounds in roughly 20 minutes. Clark ended the evening with the franchise file for many factors scored in an everyday season with 769 factors. Indiana shot 53.1 p.c (33-of-64) from the sphere and 10-of-20 from 3-point vary within the loss and tied a season-high with 28 assists.
Indiana led 20-2 to start the primary quarter, however back-to-back 3-point discipline targets plus a layup from Washington’s aspect towards the tip of the primary quarter sparked a 20-4 run from the Mystics and Indiana solely led, 24-22, going into the second quarter. The Mystics’ late first-quarter run bled into the second quarter and Washington finally led, 52-45, on the half. Indiana was pressured to name a timeout after Washington opened up the second half on a 12-3 run, however the Mystics outscored Indiana once more, 30-21, and led by 16 factors going into the ultimate quarter. The Fever went on a 22-8 surge to finish the sport and outscored Washington, 25-10, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to finish the comeback effort fueled by the Fever bench.
5 Mystics (14-26) gamers scored in double-figures within the shut win, led by reserve ahead Sika Koné’s game-high 20 factors on 7-of-10 discipline purpose capturing in addition to seven rebounds and two assists. Mystics guard Ariel Atkins and ahead Emily Engstler each notched 17 factors. Atkins scored 11 of her 17 factors within the second quarter alone and in addition recorded three steals. Engstler tied a season-high in a recreation with three made 3-point discipline targets and tallied 5 rebounds, 5 assists, one block and one steal, too.
UP NEXT
The Fever begin the primary spherical of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs on the Connecticut Solar on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. Sunday’s recreation might be broadcast on ABC.