Odyssey Sims

The resilient 2025 Indiana Fever’s remarkable run came to an end on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, as they fell to the Aces 107-98 in overtime in Game 5 of the WNBA Semifinals.

Despite losing All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell to injury in the third quarter and seeing All-Star center Aliyah Boston foul out in the final minute of regulation, the Fever pushed the two-time WNBA champions to the brink. No one expected them to make the playoffs after losing five players to season-ending injuries in the regular season, but the Fever very nearly reached the WNBA Finals.

“What these women accomplished together, it’s a special story,” Fever head coach Stephanie White said after Game 5.

It was a tightly contested first half on Tuesday night, with 14 ties and 13 lead changes over the first two quarters. The two teams were knotted at 23 after the opening quarter and neither team led by more than three for the entirety of the second quarter, with the Aces ultimately taking a narrow 47-45 advantage into halftime.

A’ja Wilson scored 14 points in the first half and Jackie Young added 12 for Las Vegas. Mitchell led the Fever with 12 points and fellow Boston tallied seven points and 11 rebounds, but also picked up her third foul just before the intermission.

The Aces surged ahead early in the second half thanks to an 8-2 run. They led 59-55 with 5:05 remaining when disaster struck for the Fever, as Boston picked up her fifth foul on an illegal screen and during the stoppage Mitchell fell to the floor with an injury. Indiana’s star guard had to be helped to the locker room and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Las Vegas took a 71-63 lead into the fourth quarter, but the undermanned Fever showed their trademark resilience with a rally in the final frame. The visitors tied the game at 84 on two free throws by Odyssey Sims with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

On the other end, Boston was whistled for her sixth foul going for a rebound with 27.1 seconds left. The Fever challenged the call, but it was upheld and Jackie Young made two free throws to put the Aces up by two.

But the Fever still didn’t quit, as Sims got to the rim after a reset timeout to tie the game once again.

In overtime, Jewell Loyd hit a 3-pointer to put Las Vegas in front and the Aces never trailed. The Fever cut the deficit to 95-93 on Natasha Howard’s three-point play with 2:13 remaining, but the Aces outscored Indiana 12-5 the rest of the way to preserve the victory and end the Fever’s season.

“They have been an absolute joy to coach,” Fever head coach Stephanie White said of her team’s performance all season. “It’s an incredible group of women, an incredibly connected group. They’re a great example to everybody of what it means to put one foot in front of the other, to persevere, to welcome people into the fold, to not give in to circumstance, to lead with grace and dignity, to sacrifice for a greater good and a common good. I’m just so thankful to coach these women, and I’m just thankful for this experience with them.”

Sims finished with 27 points and six assists for Indiana, going 7-for-14 from the field and 12-for-13 from the free throw line. Howard added 16 points and seven rebounds, Mitchell scored 15 points before her injury, and Boston finished with 11 points and 16 boards.

Wilson had 35 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals for the Aces, while Young finished with 32 points and 10 assists. Las Vegas will face Phoenix in the WNBA Finals.

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