Indiana Fever vs Seattle Storm
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7 p.m. ET
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Broadcast Information
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Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)

Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Fever will face the Seattle Storm at 7 p.m. ET for the third and final time during the regular season. Indiana defeated the Storm in Seattle on June 22, 80-68, but fell in the last meeting in Indianapolis, 85-62, on July 30.

Last time out for Indiana, the Fever defeated the Mercury in Phoenix, 83-73, on Sunday night. Kelsey Mitchell’s season-high 28 points and NaLyssa Smith’s 10th double-double of the season guided Indiana to the victory. Smith notched 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds on the night.

Along with her season-high, Mitchell netted her 3,000th career point and became the second fastest player in WNBA history to hit the 3,000 point threshold while also recording 400 made 3-pointers and 500 assists. The All-Star guard is averaging a team-leading 17.4 points per game, good for a top-15 ranking in the WNBA for scoring average, while shooting 39.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Rookie center Aliyah Boston is averaging 14.7 points per contest and is still shooting a league-leading 59.9 percent (194-of-324) from the floor. As of August 18, Boston owns the franchise record for most field goals made by a rookie as she enters the matchup with 194 through the first 33 games of her career. In addition, the All-Star is 15 points away from her 500th point, and is one block behind Teaira McCowan’s record of 44 blocks in her rookie season.

Led by Emma Cannon, Kristy Wallace, Grace Berger and Victoria Vivians, Indiana’s reserves are contributing 19.7 points per matchup, still good for third most in the league for points off the bench. Cannon is averaging 6.3 points per game while Wallace is averaging 6.2 points per contest this season and has earned starts for Indiana’s most recent four games. Vivians has averaged 5.4 points per game this season, while Berger has also averaged 5.4 points per game since July 12.

The Seattle Storm enter the matchup following a 102-79 loss to the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night. Every Seattle player who took to the court added to the scoring column and were led by Jewell Loyd’s 26 points and five assists. Loyd is averaging a league-leading 24.1 points per game. Ezi Magbegor added 13 points against the Sky and is scoring 13.8 points per contest in addition to a team-leading 7.8 rebounds.

The Fever enter tonight’s matchup averaging 9.0 offensive rebounds per game, good for second in the league for offensive rebounds, while Seattle ranks ninth averaging 8.4 offensive rebounds per contest. With opponents averaging 7.3 offensive rebounds and 32.0 total rebounds per game against the Fever, Indiana ranks first in the league for the lowest offensive rebounds and total rebounds allowed.

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (9-24)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (17.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Guard – Erica Wheeler (10.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.9 apg)
Guard – Kristy Wallace (6.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (15.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (14.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg)

Seattle Storm (10-23)

Guard – Jewell Loyd (24.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.0 spg)
Guard – Sami Whitcomb (9.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Guard – Jordan Horston (7.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg)
Forward – Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu (4.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.4 bpg)
Center – Ezi Magbegor (13.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.9 bpg)

Game Status Report

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