Game Recap: Fever Late Rally Not Enough Against Atlanta on Sunday Night
INDIANAPOLIS – A valiant fourth quarter rally from the Indiana Fever (4-7) was not enough to overcome the Atlanta Dream in a 100-94 loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Sunday’s 34 points in the fourth quarter from Indiana was the highest scoring quarter of the season as a team and reduced a 16-point lead to four in the final seconds in the second of four regular season matchups with the Dream this season.
In her fourth game this season finishing with at least 20 points, Aliyah Boston led the Fever in scoring with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, tying her career-high scoring output. In addition, Boston added a career-best four blocked shots.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell also earned herself her fourth 20-point game of the season as she recorded a season-high 24 points, to go along with four assists. Erica Wheeler dished out a team-high eight assists in support of the scoring attack, while Kristy Wallace contributed 13 points and five rebounds off the bench for Indiana.
Both teams opened the game with slow starts, as Indiana held Atlanta to 4-of-10 shooting from the floor within the first five minutes. The Dream improved quickly, ending the quarter shooting nearly 53 percent (9-of-17). Mitchell guided the Fever on the offensive end as she contributed seven points in the first quarter and shot 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Atlanta maintained and extended the lead to nine toward the end of the quarter, leading, 23-14.
Indiana continued to chip away at the Atlanta lead throughout the second quarter. Boston found her rhythm in the quarter as she pitched in nine of her 13 first half points while shooting 3-of-4 from the court and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Though outscoring Atlanta 27-25 in the second quarter and shooting 9-of-17 from the floor, Indiana trailed the Dream entering halftime, 48-41.
Boston remained steady out of the half as she added six points on 3-of-3 shooting to go along with four rebounds in the third quarter. Beginning with a completed layup from Boston, the Fever closed the third quarter on a 9-4 scoring run in the final four minutes. The Dream held on tight to the lead and Indiana entered the fourth frame down 71-60.
In the fourth quarter, Indiana’s highest scoring quarter was highlighted by a 12-of-19 shooting performance. After trailing by 16 with roughly six minutes remaining in the game, the Fever were then down four points after Wallace drained a three-pointer in hopes of completing the comeback. Atlanta’s Allisha Gray was sent to the charity stripe immediately following, where she completed two free throws and sealed the wire-to-wire victory for the Dream.
Atlanta was led in scoring by Gray’s 25 points on the night. She was followed by 2022 Rookie of the Year, Rhyne Howard, with 21 points, Cheyenne Parker with 15 points, and Nia Coffey with 11 points. As a team, Atlanta shot 56.1 percent (37-of-66) on the night.
Indiana allowed Atlanta only three offensive rebounds, the fewest by a Fever opponent this season. The Fever also made more free throws (24) and attempted more free throws (29) than any other game this season.
Fever guard Victoria Vivians left the game in the second quarter and did not return to be evaluated for a concussion.
UP NEXT
f
The Fever hit the road to take on the Seattle Storm on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET from Climate Pledge Arena. Thursday’s game will be broadcast on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page and Amazon Prime.