INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana scored the game’s first eight points and never relinquished the lead during a 76-65 win over the Chicago Sky on Thursday afternoon. Chicago cut the deficit to eight at the half, 35-27, but Indiana stayed hot as their lead grew to as much as 20 in the third quarter and never allowed to Chicago to get within striking distance.

PHOTOS

BOX SCORE

“Our defensive presence, from the onset was good and we maintained that throughout,” said Fever head coach Pokey Chatman. “It was really good to see so many players get in rotation and contest a lot of their shots, make it difficult for them. For me, it was nice that we married that to some good transition offense. I thought when we had to play in the half court, we attacked and got to the free throw line.”

Indiana used a balanced attack, as 13 of the 14 players on the Fever roster scored. Guard Tiffany Mitchell was the lone player for Indiana to score in double figures. The fourth-year guard paced the Fever with 15 points and seven rebounds in the win.

Cheyenne Parker led the Sky with 16 points. Allie Quigley and Victoria Macaulay both chipped in 12 for the visitors.

Indiana exploded out of the gates, taking an 8-0 lead against Chicago in the game’s first two minutes. The Fever played suffocating defense, forcing Chicago to shoot 3-17 from the field and scoring just six points in the opening quarter. Defense led to instant offense, as Indiana scored 12 of their 19 first quarter points on the fast break.

“I think Indiana as an organization has a defensive mindset – always,” said Tiffany Mitchell. “We’re gritty, we’re tough, we’re going to get after it. We’re undersized in some positions, so we definitely need to bring that day in and day out defensively.”

Things began to slow down in the second quarter, as the Sky began to settle into their offensive sets and outscored the Fever 21-16 in the frame. Fever rookie Teaira McCowan scored six points and sent an opposing shot attempt into the third row, making her presence known both offensively and defensively before the half.

“After I hit the first two free throws, I knew I would get it going,” said McCowan. “Then those buckets just came easy for me.”

Despite being outscored in the second, Indiana took an eight-point lead, 35-27, into the half time break.

The third quarter was yet another blistering start for the Fever, beginning the second half on a 12-1 run. The Indiana lead ballooned to its largest of the game, 50-30, as Erica Wheeler intercepted a Chicago pass and scored the fast break layup.

Chicago attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth, but Indiana kept their opponents at arm’s length and led until the game’s final buzzer.

Wheeler was injured midway through the fourth quarter and did not return. Her injury status is not yet known.

Indiana will head to Dallas for their final game of the preseason, a matchup with the Wings, on Sunday, May 19^th.