By Madie Chandler | FeverBasketball.com

“Any time you get to do something and be a part of the first it’s special,” coach Stephanie White said on Sunday.

White was an assistant coach for the Fever team that brought the first WNBA title to Indiana, and now adds Commissioner’s Cup champion to her resume as her Fever team defeated the Minnesota Lynx, 74-59, on Tuesday.

The victory marks Indiana’s first Commissioner’s Cup title since the tournament’s inception in 2021. Five different champions have won the Cup, including four road teams now that the Fever claimed the crown in Minnesota. The Lynx were previously undefeated on their home court – a perfect 8-0 to start the season.

Caitlin Clark remained sidelined with a groin injury for the third straight contest, but Indiana rallied behind Commissioner’s Cup MVP Natasha Howard. Howard delivered a double-double performance for the Fever as she racked up 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists en route to unanimous MVP honors.

“It just feels good to win this Commissioner’s Cup with a group of ladies like this that’s selfless, who give our all in practice every single day, and you saw it tonight on the court,” Howard said. “I’m really proud of how we played tonight.”

The Fever had a shaky start, trailing by as many as 13 points before surging with an 18-0 run to close the first half of play ahead by five points, 32-27. Indiana’s team defense transcended to a championship level in the second quarter as it held Minnesota to just seven points in the period.

The Fever didn’t look back after capturing the lead late in the second quarter, and didn’t allow more than 17 points in either of the remaining two periods after that.

“I described this entire experience as a gut check experience,” Kelsey Mitchell said. “And I mean that intentionally. I mean, physically, mentally, psychologically, it was a gut check moment today. And I think for us, it was about making sure we won those moments that mattered.”

The Commissioner’s Cup offered $500,000 of extra motivation for Indiana, and not just the Fever players. The win in the title game earned $10,000 to be donated to Indianapolis’ Peace Learning Center – an organization that provides community learning in the Indy area, and specifically advocates for peace.

Throughout their Commissioner’s Cup journey, the Fever raised a grand total of $23,000 for the Peace Learning Center. A chunk of that – $10,000 – came as a result of Indiana’s win on Tuesday. The $23,000 donation is a WNBA high.

The Commissioner’s Cup title is just a piece of the hardware that Indiana seeks this WNBA season. Defeating the 14-2 Lynx in Minnesota speaks volumes to the Fever’s determination to win on the WNBA’s biggest stage, and Indiana’s locker room continues to come together in high pressure moments of competition. Early season adversity is the crucible that’s forming the Fever, and the win on Tuesday is evidence of behind-the-scenes work that shapes a championship contender.

“We’ve got a team full of givers,” Mitchell said. “I think you just have to want to give…this is an example of having to do and give what you need for somebody else, and I think that’s what our team is about.

“We gut check all the time. We’re resilient and even when things get tough…To have so much going on and still stay consistently for each other, I mean it was beautiful. It was beautiful.”

The Fever resume regular season action on Thursday, July 3, as they play host to the Las Vegas Aces. Both teams are 8-8 on the season with an itch to get above that mark. Indiana looks to stack its Commissioner’s Cup win with another victory as it sits in the middle of the league rankings to start the month of July.