PHOENIX – The Indiana Fever (5-10) fell to the Phoenix Mercury, 85-63, to conclude the longest road trip of the season at Footprint Center on Thursday night.

Ten of Indiana’s 12 players who took the floor on Thursday ended the matchup against the Mercury contributing to the scoring column, highlighted by Kelsey Mitchell’s 15 points. NaLyssa Smith followed behind as she added 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting and pulled down nine rebounds. Kristy Wallace led all reserves in scoring as she pitched in nine points, while Erica Wheeler tallied eight points. Aliyah Boston, Wheeler and Mitchell each contributed four assists in the loss.

In addition, the Fever shot 90 percent (9-of-10) from the free throw line in the matchup.

The Mercury opened the matchup with an 11-4 scoring run within the first three minutes of play. Indiana kept the lead within reach with the help of Mitchell, who contributed 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, while Smith and Boston each added four points and three rebounds in the first frame. After its highest scoring first quarter of the year, Phoenix led Indiana, 31-23.

In the second quarter, Indiana shot 5-of-21 from the floor and went into the locker room trailing Phoenix, 52-35. Phoenix maintained the advantage throughout the third quarter, extending the lead to as large as 24. Smith guided the offense as she contributed six points and pulled down five rebounds, while Wheeler added five points. Indiana finished the third frame still chasing Phoenix, 72-51.

In the fourth quarter, Wallace and Maya Caldwell pitched in five and three points, respectively, and Grace Berger added two points, one assist and one block in her first game playing after missing the first two games of the road trip due to injury.

For Phoenix, the Mercury were led in the wire-to-wire win by center Brittney Griner’s 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor. Diana Taurasi pitched in 17 points and dished out six assists. Brianna Turner contributed 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting clip, while Moriah Jefferson and Michaela Onyenwere added nine points each.

The Mercury collectively shot a season-high 53.1 percent (34-64) from the floor as all 10 players who took to the court for Phoenix contributed in the scoring column. Nine Phoenix players contributed to record a season-high 28 assists.

UP NEXT
The Fever return home to take on the Chicago Sky on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 4 p.m. ET. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page.