June 27, 2022
Footprint Center | 10 p.m. ET
The Indiana Fever visit the Phoenix Mercury at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Monday at 10 p.m. ET. This is the second of three matchups between the two teams this season, with the final showdown on Wednesday in Phoenix as well.
In their first matchup this season at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on June 15, the Mercury defeated the Fever 93-80 behind a 29-point performance from former center Tina Charles. The Mercury shot 50.7 percent from the field and led by as much as 23 points in the game.
Phoenix will look different this time around after the team announced over the weekend the team and the former MVP Charles agreed to part ways with an immediate contract divorce. In 16 games with the Mercury this season, Charles averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Last time out for Indiana was a 94-68 loss at the Dallas Wings on Thursday, which was the largest margin of defeat this season for Indiana. Fever guard and potential All-Star Kelsey Mitchell recorded her 11th game of the season with at least 20 points, ending the night with 22 points. Center Queen Egbo had her first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Wings, while Victoria Vivians also had her 12th game this season scoring in double-digits with 10 points.
Injury Report
Fever – None
Mercury – Kia Nurse- OUT (ACL), Brittney Griner- OUT (NWT)
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (5-14)
F – Victoria Vivians (11.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 27.3 mpg)
F – NaLyssa Smith (13.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 29.8 mpg)
C – Queen Egbo (7.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 23.9 mpg)
G – Kelsey Mitchell (19.0 ppg, 4.1 apg, 32.7 mpg)
G – Danielle Robinson (7.6 ppg, 3.9 apg, 24.1 mpg)
Phoenix Mercury (7-12)
F – Shey Peddy (8.1 ppg, 3.0 apg, 24.4 mpg)
F – Sophie Cunningham (7.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 22.2 mpg)
C – Brianna Turner (4.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 33.8 mpg)
G – Diana Taurasi (15.9 ppg, 4.7 apg, 30.7 mpg)
G – Skylar Diggins-Smith (18.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 34.2 mpg)
Extra Notes
- Indiana is 22-25 all-time versus Phoenix.
- Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and Phoenix’s Skylar Diggins-Smith are fourth and fifth in points per game this season, averaging 19.0 and 18.9 ppg, respectively. Diggins-Smith also ranks in the top 10 in assists per game (5.1), steals per game (1.8) and minutes played per game (34.2).
Broadcast Information
Livestream: Indiana Fever Facebook Page, CBS Sports Network
Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)