Game Preview: Fever Look to Extend Series with Game 2 on Wednesday at Sun

Wed, Sep 25, 2024, 2:32 PM

Temi Fagbenle

Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun (Game 2)
Wednesday, Sept. 25
Mohegan Sun Arena | 7:30 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information
ESPN

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (20-20, 0-1)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (19.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (19.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 8.4 apg)
Guard – Lexie Hull (5.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (14.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (10.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)

Connecticut Sun (28-12, 1-0)

Guard – DiJonai Carrington (12.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Guard – Tyasha Harris (10.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Center – Brionna Jones (13.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Forward – DeWanna Bonner (15.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Forward – Alyssa Thomas (10.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 7.9 apg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: No injuries.

Connecticut: Tiffany Mitchell – OUT (illness), Ty Harris – QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle)

GAME PREVIEW:

After losing Game 1, 93-69, in the first game of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, the Indiana Fever aim to rebound in Game 2 on Wednesday to force a Game 3 on Friday back in Indianapolis. Game 2 will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun Arena on ESPN.

The Sun own a 5-4 all-time record against Indiana during postseason action and a 58-32 all-time record with the Fever during regular season play.

On Sunday, all four of the higher-seeded teams – Connecticut, New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces – swept the first round Game 1 matchups. Marina Mabrey came off the bench for Connecticut in her 10th career playoff game to aid the Sun victory with a postseason-high 27 points, three rebounds and three assists. Mabrey’s 27-point performance set a WNBA postseason record for the most points recorded by a player off the bench. On Indiana’s end, Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell scored a team-high 21 points, five assists and three rebounds in her WNBA Playoffs debut.

Sun forward Alyssa Thomas made her 37th playoff start on Sunday while achieving her fourth postseason triple-double and the 15th of her career with 12 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. Fever center Aliyah Boston notched a double-double of her own during her playoffs debut, recording 17 points on 8-of-14 field goal shooting and 11 rebounds, along with three assists and two blocks.

On Wednesday, Sun forward DeWanna Bonner will compete in her 82nd postseason game, tying her with Lindsay Whalen for the top spot on the WNBA’s all-time postseason games played list. Additionally, Bonner heads into Wednesday with 544 postseason rebounds, just 19 rebounds away from claiming third place on the WNBA postseason rebounding list.