INDIANAPOLIS — Despite an electric home crowd and a season high 30 points by Candice Dupree, the Chicago Sky defeated the Indiana Fever in a 115–106 double overtime win on Saturday evening at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The 115 points allowed by Indiana was a franchise record.

Chicago came into the second overtime at a blistering pace as the Sky scored the first nine points of the extra period. Indiana grabbed the next two points on a pair of Achonwa free throws, but it was too little, too late for the Fever. Chicago won the second overtime period 16-7 to hold on for the win on the road.

“We had our opportunities to win the basketball game. Several opportunities,” said Fever head coach Pokey Chatman. “For the most part, we took care of the basketball, but then when regulation ended we got a little sloppy. Had an opportunity to knock down some free throws and ice it, we didn’t. Chicago took advantage of those things, got some transition buckets. So I give them credit, but I thought we aided in our demise.”

Chicago was led by veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot who had a near triple-double with 24 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Rookie Diamond DeShields matched Vandersloot with 24 points while adding eight rebounds.

Cheyenne Parker amassed 20 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Sky. Allie Quigley and Kahleah Copper each chipped in 12 in the win.

Dupree’s 30 paced the Fever, while also moving her into eighth all time on the WNBA scoring list. The veteran forward also added eight rebounds.

“Just trying to be aggressive,” said Dupree of her performance. “We knew the way they guarded high pick and rolls, that we would get a lot of open jumpers.

Unfortunately, it didn’t fall our way.”

Dupree also credits the crowd for her performance, “I just wanted to play well for them, since it was our last home game of the season. Hopefully next year we can get off to a better start.”

Center Natalie Achonwa scored 21, while adding 11 rebounds and a career high and franchise record tying six blocks. This was Achonwa’s sixth double-double of the season, only the fourth player in Fever history to accomplish such a feat.

“I was getting blocked, so I was getting mad and trying to block them as well,” says Achonwa of her six blocks. “It wasn’t working for me on the offensive end in the first half, so I was trying to put my time and effort in on defense.”

Victoria Vivians added 15 points and eight rebounds, while guard Erica Wheeler contributed 14 points and seven assists. Tiffany Mitchell accumulated 16 points and seven assists off the bench for the Fever.

Indiana exploded out of the gate, taking a quick 11-4 lead in the game’s opening minutes. The first four points for Indiana were scored by Candice Dupree, who moved into 8th all-time on the WNBA career scoring charts.

After an initial hot stretch by the Fever, the two teams cooled considerably for the remainder of the first as Indiana shot just 5/23 (22%) and the Sky hit just 6/19 (32%) of their field goals in the opening quarter.

Vandersloot had the Sky out in front after the first, 16-14, as the league assist leader had eight points in the game’s opening minutes.

The scoring picked up during the second, as Dupree and Tiffany Mitchell each poured in eight points to lead the Fever during the quarter.

The teams traded baskets, with neither group being able to take a decisive lead. Chicago was able to take a 6-0 run late, as a DeShields jumper gave the Sky a five-point lead, 38-33, the largest of the quarter.

Chicago took a 40-37 lead into the half time break.

Chicago and Indiana exchanged 6-point runs to start the second half, as a game-high nine-point lead for Chicago was cut to three quickly as Vivians scored on a reverse layup in the post and Dupree made yet another 14-foot jumper.

The lead that Chicago had held since late in the second had dissipated midway through the third, as the Fever took a 55-54 lead on a Dupree fadeaway that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Vivians used a layup in the closing seconds to give Indiana a 66-65 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The two teams continued to battle late into the fourth quarter as DeShields continued to fuel the Chicago offense in the second half. Dupree hit two free throws with just 11 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 90-88 lead. DeShields was fouled on the other end but missed the first of her two free throws.

Indiana led by two, 91-89, inside the final 10 seconds. Vandersloot was fouled with just 1.5 seconds on the clock and used a pair of free throws to send the game to overtime tied at 91. This was just the third overtime game of the season for both teams.

Indiana coughed up just three turnovers in regulation, which set a franchise record.

Wheeler opened the overtime with a pair of free throws to give Indiana a 93-91 lead. Parker responded on the other end with an aggressive put back inside, tying the game. She scored again on the next trip down, giving Chicago a 95-93 lead.

Parker then fouled Achonwa inside on what was almost a wide-open layup, as Indiana’s 6-foot, 4-inch center made both of her attempts at the charity stripe.

Indiana was fouled on the defensive rebound attempt on the next possession, giving Dupree a wide-open jumper to take the lead. Vandersloot responded with a floater to tie the game at 97.

DeShields tried to play the villain, as the guard drained a jumper that gave Chicago a 99-97 lead with little time left on the clock, but Dupree snaked a pass inside to Achonwa with mere moments left to tie the game at 99 and sending it into double overtime.

This was Indiana’s first double overtime game since a conference finals matchup with Chicago in 2015.

Fever Fan Appreciation night drew a season high in attendance, which Chatman thought affected the game.

“I had three things on my clipboard tonight,” she says. “One was offense, one was defense, and the third was the crowd. They made me think I could get out there and play a couple of possessions. It felt good and that’s what it’s all about. This place has been special.”

The Fever finish the season on Sunday with a rematch with the Sky in Chicago.

Highlights

Postgame