Indiana Fever (12-13) vs. Phoenix Mercury (12-14)
Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EDT)
Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
Television: WISH-TV, NBA TV
Webcast: Live webcast and stats can be accessed via WNBA League Pass on FeverBasketball.com
(Webcasts during games televised on FOX Sports Indiana may not be available in local market areas due to blackout restrictions.)
Probable Starters
Fever– F- Tamika Catchings, F-Lynetta Kizer, C-Erlana Larkins, G- Erica Wheeler, G-Briann January
Mercury– F- DeWanna Bonner, F- Candice Dupree, C- Brittney Griner, G- Diana Taurasi, G- Penny Taylor
Storylines & Promotion
• The Indiana Fever continue their home stand Tuesday night as they host the red-hot Phoenix Mercury. Tuesday’s game is presented by Honda, with tipoff set for 7:00 p.m.
• Great seats still remain for Tuesday’s game. For tickets and more information, please visit FeverBasketball.com. Tuesday’s matchup will be aired live on WISH-TV with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday’s game is packed with playoff implications as the Fever currently sit a half-game ahead of Phoenix in sixth place in the WNBA standings. Indiana is currently a half-game behind Chicago (13-13) for fifth place, and only one game behind Atlanta (14-13) in fourth. In a crowded playoff race, teams place from fourth to 10th place in the standings.
• Indiana saw its longest winning streak of the year come to an end at three games as the Washington Mystics used a huge fourth quarter effort to earn a 92-69 win over the Fever Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
• The Fever shot 39 percent from the field in Saturday’s loss, dropping their record to 0-8 this season when shooting under 40 percent from the field. Indiana is 11-5 this season when shooting 40 percent or better, and 5-1 when shooting 50 percent or better.
• Shenise Johnson was reinserted into the starting lineup for Saturday’s game and she responded by scoring 10 points while adding a season-high nine rebounds. Johnson has now scored in double figures in four straight games and five of the last six outings overall.
• In her first game back since competing with Team Canada in the Olympics, Natalie Achonwa finished with a season-high 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting in 16 minutes off the bench in Saturday’s loss to Washington.
• Marissa Coleman scored in double figures for the second straight game as she finished with 11 points Saturday night.
• Indiana has already won the season series with Phoenix after taking the first two matchups with the Mercury this season. The Fever earned a 94-85 home win over Phoenix on May 18 before taking a 78-60 road decision in the desert on July 8.
• After beginning the season 8-13, the Mercury have won four of their last five games, including two home wins to open their post-Olympic break schedule. In their last outing Sunday night, Diana Taurasi finished with 26 points to lead Phoenix to a 70-66 victory in a nationally televised matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks.
• Taurasi, who recently earned her fourth gold medal alongside Tamika Catchings during the Rio Olympic Games, leads Phoenix with an average of 18.9 points and 4.0 assists per game this season. Forward DeWanna Bonner has turned in a career season with 15.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest. Fellow Olympian Brittney Griner is averaging 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Last Meeting
(July 8, 2016) PHOENIX – Indiana turned up the heat on the defensive end of the court as the Fever forced 27 turnovers and collected 18 steals – both season highs in the WNBA this season – while rolling to a 78-60 road victory. The Fever trailed 28-29 at halftime, but rang up 30 points in the third quarter as they forced seven turnovers that led to 13 points while shooting nearly 70 percent from the field in the frame. Briann January paced Indiana on both ends of the court as she finished with 13 points while collected a career-high six steals, tying the most by any player in the league this season. Erlana Larkins chipped in a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while limiting Brittney Griner to five points and three boards.
Series
Including both matchups with the Mercury earlier this season, Indiana has now won four consecutive games over Phoenix. The Fever are looking to sweep the regular season series with the Mercury for the second straight year and the seventh time in the history of the series. Indiana leads the overall series 20-11 with an 11-5 record at home.