Game Preview: Fever at Sun
Indiana Fever (8-15) at Connecticut Sun (13-9)
Date: Sunday, July 30, 2017
Time: 3:00 p.m. (EDT)
Site: Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, CT)
TV: none
Live Stream: Twitter, WNBA League Pass
Probable Starters
Fever: F- Tiffany Mitchell, F- Candice Dupree, C- Natalie Achonwa, G- Erica Wheeler, G- Briann January
Sun: F- Shekinna Stricklen, F- Alyssa Thomas, C- Jonquel Jones, G- Courtney Williams, G- Jasmine Thomas
The Indiana Fever are back on the road to take on the Connecticut Sun for the third and final meeting between the two teams, Sunday afternoon. The Fever and the Sun have split two games so far this year, both in Indianapolis.
The Fever’s “Bench Mob” continues to be a point of strength for Indiana. The reserves have outscored opposing units in 18 of 23 games this season. As a collective unit, Fever subs average 27 points per contest. Though they’ve started games recently, standouts Tiffany Mitchell and Natalie Achonwa have done most of their work as super subs. Mitchell is averaging 10.6 points per game, and Achonwa is averaging 7.1 points on 57.7 percent shooting.
Storylines & Promotion
• The Fever lost 85-84 at home to the New York Liberty on Friday. Natalie Achonwa scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the team. Tiffany Mitchell and Candice Dupree each added 14.
• Achonwa scored in double figures for the second straight game, and sixth time this season. Her rebound total was just one shy of her season-high of eight.
• Jazmon Gwathmey had nine points against the Liberty, one shy of her Fever high. She has had a strong three-game stretch, averaging 7.6 points in just 15.6 minutes per contest in that stretch.
• Erica Wheeler dished seven assists, continuing a strong stretch of games passing the ball. She had a career-high nine assists at Dallas on Tuesday, and had seven at Phoenix on July 19. Her average of 3.7 assists per game is on pace to be a new career high.
• The Fever were a perfect 14-of-14 from the free throw line against the Liberty, their third perfect night at the charity stripe this year. They are on pace to set a new franchise record for free throw shooting for the second season in a row. The team’s current mark of 85.8 percent tops last year’s 84.5 percent conversion rate. Tiffany Mitchell is sixth in the league with a 90.9 percent figure.
• The Sun’s game at Washington Friday night was postponed due to a leaky roof at Verizon Center. Connecticut defeated the Chicago Sky, 93-72, Tuesday, in their most recent action. Alyssa Thomas had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Jasmine Thomas added 17 points and assists.
• Jonquel Jones had her 12th double-double of the year against the Sky with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jones leads the league in rebounding with 11.2 boards per game, and has been strong against the Fever. She averages 24 points and 13.5 rebounds against the Fever this year.
• Marissa Coleman had 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting against New York. She is just four points shy of 2,000 points in her WNBA career. She currently has 1,996 points with three different clubs (Mystics, Sparks, Fever).
• Sun guard Alex Bentley grew up in the Indianapolis area, attending Ben Davis High School. She also interned with the Fever during her senior year at Penn State.
• The Fever are 29-37 all-time against the Sun. At Connecticut the Sun beat Indiana on Sept. 13 of last year, but the Fever had won three straight at Mohegan Sun Arena prior to that.