Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercurty
Sunday, August 20, 2023
Footprint Center | 6 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information
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Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter)

Following a four-game homestand, the Indiana Fever (8-24) will travel to Phoenix to take on the Mercury at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Phoenix enters the matchup 2-1 against Indiana this year. After falling to the Mercury in the first two matchups, Indiana most recently recovered with a 72-71 victory against Phoenix at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on August 1. After earning her first of three consecutive starts this season, veteran forward Emma Cannon netted a career-high 23 points in the win over Phoenix. Cannon has averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds during the second half of Indiana’s season.

In conjunction with Kristy Wallace, Grace Berger and Victoria Vivians, Indiana’s reserves are contributing 19.8 points per matchup, good for third most in the league for points off the bench. Wallace is averaging 6.3 points per contest this season and has earned starts for Indiana’s most recent three games. Vivians has averaged 5.5 points per game this season, while Berger has also averaged 5.5 points per game since July 12.

Kelsey Mitchell, who notched 21 points in the win against Phoenix on August 1, is averaging a team-leading 17.1 points per contest this season, ranking her in the top-15 in the WNBA for scoring average. Mitchell averages a sixth-best 2.4 three-pointers per game while shooting 38.6 percent (76-of-197) from beyond the arc across the WNBA as well.

Rookie center Aliyah Boston is averaging 14.9 points per contest and is shooting a league-leading 59.7 percent (190-of-318) from the floor through the first 32 games of her career. On Friday, Boston’s six field goals against Washington allowed her to take sole possession of first all-time in franchise history in field goals made by a rookie. Entering Sunday’s matchup with 190 made field goals for her career, Boston now owns the franchise record after surpassing Tamika Catchings’ 184 field goals in 2002.

Second-year forward NaLyssa Smith is contributing an average of 14.6 points per contest. In addition, Smith’s 9.1 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the WNBA in rebounds, and Boston’s 8.2 rebounds per game carry Indiana to a second-best ranking in the WNBA for offensive rebounds (9.0 orpg) and a sixth-best ranking for rebounds (34.4 rpg). Phoenix enters the matchup ranked 11th (6.5 orpg) and 12th (30.9 rpg) in those categories, respectively.

For the Mercury, Phoenix is led by Brittney Griner’s 17.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per matchup. Griner ranks third behind Boston in field goal percentage, shooting 56.8 percent (172-of-303) this season. Ten-time All-Star, Diana Taurasi, is contributing 17.0 points and a team-leading 4.8 assists per game. Sophie Cunningham is adding 11.2 points per contest, while Moriah Jefferson is contributing 9.1 points per game.

The 9-22 Mercury enter the matchup following a 85-63 loss to the New York Liberty on Friday. With both Griner and Megan Gustafson out for health and safety protocols, it was Cunningham and Taurasi who led all Phoenix scorers with 14 points each.

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (8-24)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (17.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Guard – Erica Wheeler (10.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.0 apg)
Guard – Kristy Wallace (6.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (14.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (14.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg)

Phoenix Mercury (9-22)

Guard – Moriah Jefferson (9.1 ppg. 1.8 rpg, 1.2 spg)
Guard – Diana Taurasi (17.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.8 apg)
Guard – Sophie Cunningham (11.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Forward – Michaela Onyenwere (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Forward – Brianna Turner (3.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 bpg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: Lexie Hull – out (right shoulder)
Phoenix: TBA