INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to win 89-87 against the defending champion Chicago Sky at Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Sunday. Indiana improved to 5-13 this season, while Chicago fell to 10-5.
Fever rookie forward NaLyssa Smith led the team in scoring and rebounding with a career-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. She now has four career double-doubles and 11 games with double-digit points scored.
The Fever had the highest-scoring and most efficient first quarter of the season, opening the game with a season-high 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting. The Sky would respond in the second quarter, going on a 25-9 run while holding the Fever to 4-of-13 shooting to take a 50-37 lead into the locker room. Sky guard Kahleah Copper scored 16 points and went 3-of-3 from the three-point line in the first half. She would end the game leading all scorers with a season-high 28 points.
The Fever came out aggressive on offense in the third quarter, opening the second half on an 18-6 run, including eight points from Kelsey Mitchell after only scoring two in the first half. Mitchell finished with 13 points and tied her career-high nine assists. Rookie guard Lexie Hull scored five of her career-high 10 points in the third quarter as Indiana went on to score 35 in the quarter — the most in a third quarter this season — and take a 72-70 lead into the final frame.
Indiana led the majority of the fourth quarter until Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot scored a lay-up with 1:54 left to tie the game at 84. Off a missed free throw by Vandersloot, the Sky hit a three-pointer to take their first lead of the quarter. As time was ticking away, Smith hit a tough jumper, drawing a foul and converting the and-one opportunity to take an 88-87 lead with 39 seconds left in the game before ultimately securing the victory.
Indiana outscored Chicago 33-21 in bench points, led by Hull and forward Emma Cannon’s season-high 11 points. With this win, the Fever have now defeated the Sky 37 times in the regular season, the most regular season losses for Chicago against any other franchise. Sunday was also Indiana’s best shooting game making a season-high 35 field goals.
Vandersloot finished with 13 points and seven assists for the Sky, while forward Emma Meesseman ended with 12 points and eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Fever will head to take on the Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Thursday’s game will be streamed on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.