UNCASVILLE, CONN. – The Indiana Fever (12-27) fell to the Connecticut Sun, 76-59, on Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena after recording its season-low offensive output.
Indiana was led by Kelsey Mitchell’s 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the floor. Mitchell dished out two assists, recorded two steals and netted her 500th career made free throw. NaLyssa Smith and Erica Wheeler followed behind with 14 points each. Smith pulled down six rebounds and recorded two blocks, while Wheeler added five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Aliyah Boston contributed seven points and seven rebounds.
In addition, the Fever tied a season-high 10 steals on the night.
The Fever were held to 28.6 percent (4-of-14) shooting in the first quarter. Sun forward Rebecca Allen and guard Natisha Hiedeman combined to shoot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first frame, allowing Connecticut to take a 26-10 lead at the conclusion of the quarter.
After the Sun took a 21-point lead roughly two minutes into the second quarter, Indiana began an eventual 21-6 scoring run that cut the deficit to four points on one occasion. Indiana was able to outscore the Sun, 21-11, in the frame by holding Connecticut to just 4-of-16 shooting from the floor and 1-of-6 (16.7 percent) shooting from beyond the arc. Led by Wheeler’s seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and Mitchell’s six points on a perfect 2-of-2 shooting clip, the Fever trailed by only six points at halftime, 37-31.
Indiana shot a combined 9-of-30 (30 percent) from the floor in the second half while Connecticut went 16-of-27 (59.3 percent) from the court to take as much as a 17-point lead on one occasion in the fourth quarter. Mitchell added eight points in the second half, while Smith contributed seven points in the half. The Sun ended the game on a 24-9 scoring run to solidify the win.
For the Sun, Connecticut’s five players who added double-figure scoring in the wire-to-wire win were led by Tiffany Hayes’ 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor. DeWanna Bonner, Hiedeman, and Alyssa Thomas added 10 points each. Thomas neared another triple-double as she also recorded 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Bonner pulled down eight rebounds and dished out five assists. The Connecticut reserves outscored the Indiana reserves, 24-9, highlighted by DiJonai Carrington’s 10 points and six rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Fever conclude the regular season on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET against the Minnesota Lynx at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Indiana.