Indiana Fever (1-11) vs Seattle Storm (8-4)

Date: Friday, June 22, 2018
Time: 10:00 p.m. (EDT)
Site: KeyArena
TV: none
Live Stream: ESPN3

Probable Starters
Fever: F- Victoria Vivians, F- Candice Dupree, C- Natalie Achonwa, G- Kelsey Mitchell, G- Tiffany Mitchell
Storm: G- Breanna Stewart, F- Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, C- Natasha Howard, G- Jewell Loyd, G- Noelle Quinn

The Indiana Fever continue their West Coast trip in Seattle to face the Storm for the first time this season. The Fever fell to the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, 74-55, marking their lowest scoring game of the year. The Storm are in search of a bounce-back win after their loss to the Las Vegas Aces, 87-77, on Tuesday.

Natalie Achonwa recorded another double-double against the Sparks, scoring 13 points and snagging 14 rebounds. Breanna Stewart scored 27 points shooting 8-of-20 from the field and 10-of-13 from the charity stripe in Seattle’s loss on Tuesday.

Injury Report
Guard Shenise Johnson (left knee ACL rehabilitation) remains out and will not play.

Storylines
• Indiana seeks its sixth win at KeyArena and its first since a 93-82 win in 2016. The home team won all three meetings in the series in 2017.

• Friday’s matchup is the first of three meetings between the Fever and Storm this season, in what is Indiana’s only trip to the Northwest.

• Among the history shared between the two franchises, they both entered the WNBA in the 2000 season, and current Storm assistant coach Gary Kloppenburg is among three coaches to have monitored the sidelines in both cities. Kloppenburg was an assistant during two different stints in Indiana. Lin Dunn was the Storm’s first coach and won a title with the Fever (2012). Likewise and with a tone of solemn respect for her passing last week, Anne Donovan coached the inaugural Fever team and later won a 2004 championship with the Storm.

• Indiana got its first win in rousing fashion last Saturday, but dropped a 74-55 decision in Los Angeles on Tuesday when Indiana’s offence stalled in the fourth quarter. A tight game through three quarters, the Fever trailed just 55-49 heading into the fourth, with each team leading by as many as seven points. But in the fourth, Indiana scored just six points and the Sparks cruised to the win.

• Indiana’s lone highlight on Tuesday came on the boards with another resounding effort from center Natalie Achonwa. Achonwa pulled down 14 caroms as Indiana outrebounded the Sparks 45-27. “Ace,” as she was known at Notre Dame, added 13 points to post the fourth double-double of her career — all within this season’s 12 games.

• The Fever have twice lost in overtime this season, and by six points or less on four occasions.

• Veteran Candice Dupree has reached double-figure scoring in 7 of 10 games played, returning last week after a two-game bout nursing a sore left knee. Third-year guard Tiffany Mitchell has started every game and scored in double digits in 9 of 12 games.

• Tiffany Mitchell reached double-figure scoring for Indiana Tuesday night, adding 10 points with five assists. Signed to a free agent contract on Sunday, Indiana newcomer Asia Taylor scored four points and added five rebounds in her Fever debut.

• Rookie scoring sensation Kelsey Mitchell has scored 20 or more points four times this season, but has been limited to single-digit scoring twice within the past week. She is the first Fever rookie to record at least 20 points in consecutive games since 2003. She shoots 38 percent from 3-point range on the year and her 33 3-point field goals made rank second in the league behind Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi (36). Mitchell’s 3.0 3FG per game was tops in the WNBA until she was 0-of-2 beyond the arc at L.A.

• Breanna Stewart was named WNBA’s Player of the Week alongside Elena Delle Donne for games played June 11-17. This marks Stewart’s fourth Player of the Week honor in three seasons.