INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever (5-11) erased a 14-point second-half deficit against Chicago, but ultimately fell for the second time this season against the Sky, 89-87, on Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Second-year Fever forward NaLyssa Smith led Indiana in scoring with 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor for her fourth 20-point outing of the season, to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.

After being presented with the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award prior to the game, Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell recorded a season-high 26 points, dished out a season-high eight assists and pulled down four rebounds. The newly-named WNBA All-Star selection totaled 18 of her 26 points in the first half on 8-of-10 shooting. Entering Wednesday’s game at Minnesota, Mitchell is now at 499 career assists.

Erica Wheeler and Kristy Wallace also pitched in nine and seven points respectively.

Both teams opened the matchup with hot starts, as Indiana shot 50 percent (6-of-12) and Chicago shot 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the floor within the first five minutes. Mitchell caught fire midway through the quarter, recording 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and Smith followed behind pitching in six points and four rebounds. The first quarter, which featured four lead changes, ended with Indiana trailing Chicago, 22-21.

Indiana’s second quarter offense was supported by seven players who contributed in the scoring column, as they collectively shot 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the floor in the second frame. The pursuit for the lead was a team effort, as the Fever dished out seven assists and went a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the three-point arc. Chicago led for the majority of the second quarter and ended the first half leading 54-47.

The Fever continued to reduce the deficit in the third quarter, outscoring Chicago, 20-18, over the next 10 minutes. Wheeler and Smith aided the comeback effort, as Smith pitched in eight points and Wheeler chipped in seven points on 3-of-4 shooting before the third frame ended with Chicago ahead, 72-67.

Continuing from the third quarter, Indiana sustained a 19-6 scoring run that lasted until the 6:43 mark in the fourth quarter to tie the game, 74-74. After an Indiana 3-point field goal from Smith to tie the game up again at the 1:07 mark, 87-87, Sky guard Courtney Williams made a jump shot to put Chicago ahead by two with 18.1 seconds on the clock. Maya Caldwell and Mitchell both had favorable looks to take the lead at the end of regulation, but could not convert.

For Chicago, the Sky shot a collective 50 percent (34-of-68) from the floor and 42.9 percent from behind the three-point arc (12-of-28) in Emre Vatansever’s first win as interim head coach. Courtney Williams led all scorers as she notched a season-high 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor, with 15 of her 28 points coming in the second quarter alone. Williams also dished out eight assists and pulled down five rebounds. In addition, Elizabeth Williams and Marina Mabrey pitched in 17 points and six assists each, while Kahleah Copper added 15 points.

Williams and Mitchell’s performances marked only the second time in WNBA history and first in game that ended in regulation two players recorded at least 25 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the same game, per Across the Timeline.

The Fever outscored the Sky 54-30 in the paint, and Indiana’s reserves outscored the Sky bench, 21-12.

UP NEXT
The Fever will head to Minnesota to take on the Lynx on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page.