Indiana Fever (18-13) at Washington Mystics (16-15)
Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Site: Verizon Center (Washington, D.C.)
Radio: None
Television: None
Webcast: Live webcast and stats can be accessed via WNBA Live Access on FeverBasketball.com. (Webcasts during games televised on FOX Sports Indiana may not be available in local market areas due to blackout restrictions.)
Storylines & Promotion
- After a 65-81 loss to at Minnesota last Friday, the Fever have now lost four of their last five games. Indiana looks to right the ship heading into the playoffs as they travel to Washington on Tuesday night for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff against the Mystics.
- Indiana currently sits 1.5 games behind Chicago for the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, while holding a two-game lead over Washington for third place. The Mystics (16-15), who have lost four straight and seven of their last 10, are looking to hang on to the final playoff spot in the East as they currently sit 2.5 games ahead of Connecticut.
- Marissa Coleman ended a streak of six straight games in which she did not score in double figures on Friday night against the Lynx. She finished with a team-high 16 points and now ranks 28th in the WNBA this season with a career-high 10.9 points per game.
- Stephanie White has won more games this season than any first-year head coach in Fever franchise history. Lin Dunn went 17-17 in her first season as head coach in the 2008 season.
- To boost White’s resume for WNBA Coach of the Year, the Fever have featured nine different starting lineups this season, have entered only two games this season with all 12 players in uniform (July 28 at Connecticut and August 28 vs. Atlanta) and have never ended a game with all 12 players healthy.
- White is now two wins away from becoming the third rookie head coach in WNBA history to record at least 20 wins in his or her first year. Michael Cooper set the record with 28 wins during his first year as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2000.
Probable Starters
Fever – F-Tamika Catchings, F-Marissa Coleman, C-Lynetta Kizer, G-Shenise Johnson, G-Layshia Clarendon
Mystics – F- Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, F- Emma Meesseman, C- Stefanie Dolson, G- Natasha Cloud, G- Ivory Latta
Last Meeting
(August 11, 2015) Tamika Catchings scored 10 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Indiana Fever beat the Washington Mystics, 73-62, for the first of Indiana’s franchise record four consecutive road victories on August 11. After trailing for most of the night, Ivory Latta hit a 3-pointer to cut the Mystics’ deficit to under 10 points, 63-54, with 3:58 left; but Catchings countered right away with a 19-foot jumper as the Fever cruised from there to even the season series 2-2.
Last Games
Fever: (September 4, 2015) Sylvia Fowles and Rebekkah Brunson led five players in double figures as the Minnesota Lynx kept pace for the best record in the WNBA, beating the Indiana Fever 81-65 at Target Center. Fowles and Brunson both nearly tallied double-doubles in the first half alone, accenting a 22-13 rebounding margin at intermission. Fowles finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Brunson added 14 and 11. The Fever trailed 64-40 after three quarters and outscored the home team 13-7 to begin the final stanza, creeping within 67-59 on a jumper from Shenise Johnson; but Indiana never got closer. Marissa Coleman led the Fever with 14 points. Tamika Catchings added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Mystics: (September 6, 2015) The Mystics dug themselves into a hole by allowing huge runs to begin the first and third quarters as they lost their fourth consecutive game, 67-73 at Atlanta on Sunday night. Washington scored the first basket of the game, but the Dream scored 10 straight points and built their lead to as many as 13 points in the opening quarter. After the Mystics were able to close the gap to four points, 37-41, to open the third quarter, Atlanta went on an 11-1 run to take the game’s largest lead at 14 points. Washington would claw back within five points with a minute to play, but Dream forward Angel McCoughtry converted a three-point play with 41 seconds to play to seal the Mystics’ fate. Ivory Latta led all scorers with 22 points for Washington.
Series
The Fever and Mystics have evenly split four regular season matchups this season, 2-2, with each squad stealing one road game this season. In the last matchup on August 11, Indiana escaped the Verizon Center with a 73-62 road victory. The Fever have won four of their last five regular season games at Washington dating back to the 2013 season. Indiana leads the all-time series 39-20, including a 19-11 mark on the road.