Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun
Monday, June 10
Mohegan Sun Arena| 7:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast Information
WTHR Channel 13, NBA TV
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (3-9)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (15.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (16.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 6.3 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (10.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Forward – Kristy Wallace (5.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
Connecticut Sun (9-1)
Forward – DeWanna Bonner (18.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Guard – Dijonai Carrington (11.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Guard – Tyasha Harris (10.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Forward – Alyssa Thomas (12.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 8.6 apg)
Forward – Brionna Jones (13.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.6 spg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – Out (Left Foot)
Connecticut: Moriah Jefferson – Questionable (Right Ankle)
GAME PREVIEW:
The Connecticut Sun (9-1) welcome the Indiana Fever (3-9) to Mohegan Sun Arena on Monday evening for both of the team’s fourth Commissioner’s Cup games. Indiana and Connecticut are both 2-1 in the Commissioner Cup series.
In its most recent matchup three days ago, the Fever took on the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena and walked out with an 85-83 win. In the victory, Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark had a record breaking night as she made seven shots from beyond the arc – the most made 3-point field goals by a rookie in Fever franchise history – and tied a career-high with 30 points. The Rookie of the Month in May added eight rebounds, six assists and tied a career-high four steals to seal out her stat sheet for the night as well.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell added 16 points, four assists and three steals to aid Indiana’s win. Forward NaLyssa Smith posted a 10-point and 10-rebound double-double and center Aliyah Boston also tallied 10 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Both Fever guards Erica Wheeler and Kristy Wallace had notable performances as Wheeler surpassed 2,500 career points and Wallace recorded a season-high three made 3-point field goals.
Connecticut was the last undefeated team in the WNBA after taking its first loss of the season on Saturday against the New York Liberty, 82-75. Sun forward DeWanna Bonner, who leads the team averaging 18.8 points per game, led Connecticut with 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Center Brionna Jones followed with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. Guards Dijonai Carrington and Tiffany Mitchell both totaled 12 points, and guard Tyasha Harris walked out with 11 points. Sun forward Alyssa Thomas recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds, as well as a game-high seven assists. Thomas was named the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for May after averaging 14.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 8.7 apg and 1.7 spg as Connecticut went 7-0 in the first month of play.
During Indiana and Connecticut’s last meeting on May 20 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever fell, 88-84. Mitchell and Clark led Indiana in scoring and assists with 17 points and five assists each. Smith followed with 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Fever forward Temi Fagbenle posted the first double-double of her career with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Boston recorded a near double-double of her own with 10 points and eight rebounds. On Connecticut’s side, Thomas had a notable night with a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double as well as nine assists and Bonner followed with 22 points. Despite the loss, the Fever outscored the Sun in bench points, 25-4.