Indiana Fever vs Phoenix Mercury
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7 p.m. ET
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Broadcast Information
Bally Sports Indiana
Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)

Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Fever (6-19) will face the Phoenix Mercury (6-18) for the third matchup between the two teams and the final time in Indianapolis during the regular season.

The Mercury are 2-0 against the Fever this season after defeating Indiana, 85-82, in Indianapolis on June 11 and then in Phoenix, 85-63, on June 29. In the most recent matchup in Phoenix, Indiana’s 10 scorers were led by All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell’s 15 points and four assists. Forward NaLyssa Smith followed behind with a near double-double of 10 points and nine rebounds, while Kristy Wallace added nine points off the bench. Mitchell enters Tuesday night only three made field goals away from 1,000 for her career.

Mercury center Brittney Griner was the leading scorer for Phoenix on June 29 as she netted 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor. In her 19th season, guard Diana Taurasi added 17 points and a game-high six assists, while Brianna Turner added 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting clip. Griner did not travel with the team to Indiana and will not be available Tuesday evening.

The matchup in Indianapolis Tuesday will be the Fever’s second home game this week. On Sunday afternoon, Indiana fell to the Seattle Storm, 85-62. Mitchell led Indiana in scoring for the eighth time this season with her 19 points to go along with five assists. All-Star starter Aliyah Boston added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the court while pulling down seven rebounds. Erica Wheeler contributed nine points and five assists, while Victaria Saxton earned the first points of her WNBA career.

Both of the Fever’s All-Stars, Mitchell and Boston, are still leading the team this season in the scoring column averaging 16.3 points and 14.4 points respectively. Mitchell is ranked in the top 20 in the WNBA for scoring average and is only 162 points away from reaching 3,000 for her career. Boston has led the league in field goal percentage this season shooting 59.4 percent (142-of-239) from the court, while also leading all 2023 rookies in scoring average, rebounds (7.8 rpg), blocks (1.2 bpg) and minutes played (30.4 mpg).

Erica Wheeler has offered much offensive support in her eighth season of WNBA play as she is averaging 9.8 points and 5.1 assists per contest. Kristy Wallace has also come off the bench to add 6.7 points per game on average.

Phoenix enters the matchup in the midst of a three-game skid following a 104-85 loss in Chicago on Sunday night. Taurasi led all Mercury scorers with 24 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Michaela Onyenwere contributed 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Megan Gustafson added 17 points and a game-high eight rebounds. In addition, Phoenix, the fourth best team in the league in free throw percentage, shot 92.9 percent (13-of-14) from the charity stripe.

With Griner unavailable on Tuesday, Phoenix is led by Taurasi’s 14.8 points and 5.2 assists per contest. Sophie Cunningham follows behind averaging 11.1 points per game, Michaela Onyenwere averages 9.7 points and Moriah Jefferson scores 9.0 points per game to go along with 1.1 steals.

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (6-19)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (16.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Guard – Erica Wheeler (9.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.1 apg)
Guard – Lexie Hull (5.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.13 spg)
Forward – Emma Cannon (5.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.4 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (14.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.20 bpg)

Phoenix Mercury (6-18)

Guard – Diana Taurasi (15.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.2 apg)
Guard – Moriah Jefferson (9.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.09 spg)
Guard – Sophie Cunningham (11.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Forward – Brianna Turner (3.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.25 bpg)
Center – Megan Gustafson (6.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.42 bpg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: NaLyssa Smith – out (left foot stress fracture), Victoria Vivians – doubtful (non-COVID illness)
Phoenix: TBA