INDIANAPOLIS — Marina Mabrey powered through, scoring 15 of her 26 points in the third quarter, as the Connecticut Sun secured their first victory of the season. The team managed an 85-83 triumph over the Indiana Fever on Friday night, ending a five-game, season-opening losing streak.
The Fever faced a significant setback with the absence of their star player, Caitlin Clark, who sat out her second game due to a strained left quad. Clark sustained the injury in a game against New York last Saturday.
Connecticut seemed to have the game in hand with a 74-59 lead early in the fourth quarter. However, Indiana mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 16 consecutive points to seize the lead.
Despite Indiana’s struggles from beyond the arc early on, making only three of their first 12 attempts, they fired up a 19-2 surge peppered with three straight 3-pointers, pulling ahead to a 78-76 advantage with 2:46 to play.
The tension heightened as both teams exchanged 3-pointers on four successive possessions. Lexie Hull nailed a corner 3 to bring Indiana within one point at 82-81. Yet, Mabrey hit back with a jump shot from the line, stretching Connecticut’s lead to three with just over a minute remaining.
Connecticut rookie Saniya Rivers ensured the win by hitting one of two free throws with 5.8 seconds left, expanding the lead to 85-83. In a final dash for victory, Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell fumbled an inbounds pass and fell short on a corner 3-pointer as time expired, with Tina Charles guarding closely.
Rivers capped off her performance with 12 points and six assists for the now 1-5 Connecticut Sun.
Aliyah Boston showcased her skills with 17 points, five rebounds, and seven assists for Indiana, now holding a 2-4 record. Both Mitchell and Bonner concluded the game with 13 points each.
The game took a concerning turn when Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham had to be helped off the court after appearing to injure her right ankle with six minutes left in the game.
The match ended dramatically, displaying a strong comeback effort from Indiana and a resilient performance by Connecticut, ending in a nail-biting fashion.