New York Liberty (0-1) at Indiana Fever (1-1)

Date: Friday, June 1, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: WISH TV
Live Stream: WNBA League Pass

 

 

The Indiana Fever welcome the New York Liberty to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for their home opener on Saturday. Indiana is 1-1 on the season after an 88-77 loss at Connecticut Tuesday night. Erica Wheeler and Candice Dupree combined for 46 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in the defeat.

New York has not played since Teaira McCowan’s buzzer-beater lifted the Fever over the Liberty, 81-80, in the season opener for both teams back on May 24. Tina Charles recorded a double-double for the Liberty, finishing with 32 points and 12 rebounds. Tiffany Mitchell’s 22 points led the way for the Fever.

Probable Starters
Fever: F – Betnijah Laney, F – Candice Dupree, C – Natalie Achonwa, G – Kelsey Mitchell, G – Erica Wheeler
Liberty:F – Tina Charles, F –Rebecca Allen, C – Amanda Zahui B, G – Brittany Boyd, G – Kia Nurse

NOTES

· The Fever return to Indianapolis to launch their home schedule on Saturday, June 1 with a 20th Anniversary Celebration delivered by Papa John’s, in a 7:00 p.m. tipoff against New York. Played on the same date as the franchise’s first game in 2000, the first 2,000 fans receive a commemorative 20th Anniversary t-shirt.

· After losing five straight matchups with New York dating back to 2017, Indiana has won the last two meetings between the teams. The Fever lead the all-time series 43-29.

· Tiffany Mitchell scored a career-high 22 points in the Fever’s win over the Liberty on May 24. She finished the game 13-of-14 from the free throw line and 4-of-10 from the field.

· Erica Wheeler is one steal away from reaching 100 as a member of the fever. The former Liberty player has 111 steals in her WNBA career.

· Wheeler’s six 3-pointers and 42 total points are the most in the WNBA through games on May 30. She is 6-of-11 from deep on the season and averaging 21 points per game.

· Against the Sun on Tuesday, Wheeler scored 26 points, the second-highest total of her career. Her nine assists were the highest single-game total as of May 30.

· The Fever are 10-9 all-time in home openers. Last season, they fell to the Chicago Sky, 82-64.

· Indiana came in at No. 9 in the Week 1 WNBA power rankings. It was the first time since Week 8 of 2017 the Fever cracked the top 10.

· The first game in Fever franchise history took place on June 1, 2000. Indiana defeated the Miami Sol in Miami by a score of 57-54.

· On June 1, 2002, Tamika Catchings made her WNBA debut for the Fever. Catchings posted 23 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Detroit Shock.

· Candice Dupree ranks second on the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game and assists at 4.5 per game. She is the Fever’s leading rebounder, pulling down 15 boards so far this season,.