WASHINGTON, D.C. – After reducing a 17-point lead down to four following a 25-12 scoring run in the third quarter, the Indiana Fever (5-13) fell to the Washington Mystics on Friday night, 96-88, at Entertainment and Sports Arena.

Fever guard Lexie Hull had a record-setting night for herself after playing a career-high 37 minutes, leading Indiana in scoring with a career-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Hull also tied a career-high with six rebounds to go along with three assists.

NaLyssa Smith followed Hull in the scoring column with 19 points, while Kelsey Mitchell recorded 18 points and shot 3-of-5 from behind the three-point line. Aliyah Boston added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Indiana finished the game shooting a season-high 55.0 percent (33-of-60) from the floor and 50.0 percent (9-of-18) from the three-point line.

Fever guard Erica Wheeler dished out seven of Indiana’s 24 assists, which tied the team’s record for most assists this season.

Washington opened the game with momentum, starting 5-of-7 from the court within the first five minutes, but Indiana would soon find its stride and finished the quarter shooting 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the floor. Hull guided the Fever’s scoring effort within the first ten minutes of play as she contributed eight points, which tied her career-high for most points in a quarter, on 3-of-3 shooting from the floor to go along with three rebounds. The Mystics tied its season-high offensive output for a first quarter and finished the first frame ahead of the Fever, 28-21.

The Mystics stretched a 23-9 scoring run, which began midway through the first quarter into the first two minutes of the second frame, allowing Washington to expand the lead. After being held scoreless in the first frame, Mitchell recorded her first basket three minutes into the quarter and went on to record five points. Amanda Zahui B came off the bench to contribute her first four points in a Fever uniform. In its second highest scoring first half this season, Washington held on to its lead going into halftime, 55-40.

After trailing by as many as 17 points at one occasion, the Fever were successful in shrinking the Mystics lead to four points with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. With the help of Mitchell and Hull, who each contributed seven points, Indiana outscored Washington, 24-19, in the third frame. In addition, Smith added four points, four rebounds and two assists in the quarter. The Fever still stood within reach of the lead going into the final ten minutes of play behind, 74-64.

Indiana held Washington to 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from the floor and 20.0 percent (1-of-5) from beyond the arc in the final frame, but were ultimately unable to overcome the deficit. Smith closed the final quarter with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting and Mitchell added six points on 3-of-4 shooting to cap her night.

For Washington, the Mystics were led by Brittney Sykes’ season-high 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 shooting from the three-point line. She was followed by Ariel Atkins with a season-high 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the court and 9-of-10 shooting from the charity stripe. Atkins also recorded a career best 10 rebounds in her double-double performance. Myisha Hines-Allen had a game-high four steals and Tianna Hawkins dished out five assists.

UP NEXT
The Fever return home to take on the Dallas Wings on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Indiana.