In a commanding victory, Indiana defeated the Chicago Sky 79-52 on Saturday night. Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 17 points, and Natasha Howard contributed 13 as the Fever controlled the game from the outset. Indiana, now 4-4 for the season, is seeing success despite the absence of their injured star Caitlin Clark, boasting their second consecutive win after defeating Washington 85-76 to break a three-game losing streak.
For the Sky, Angel Reese delivered a strong performance with 12 rebounds and four points on 2-of-7 shooting. Teammates Kamilla Cardoso and Rebecca Allen each added eight points to the team’s effort. However, Chicago struggled throughout the night. Aari McDonald stood out for Indiana, scoring 12 points, including three 3-pointers, and nabbing three steals. Meanwhile, Aliyah Boston impressively contributed with 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Fever.
Indiana established their dominance early with a 10-1 run in the first quarter, initiated by impressive plays from Mitchell and McDonald, which helped the Fever secure a 17-7 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the quarter. This initial lead extended to as much as 14 points, with Indiana entering halftime ahead by 13 at 41-28. The Fever maintained a double-digit lead throughout the rest of the game.
The Fever showcased a solid performance with a 46% shooting rate from the field and netting 11 of their 3-point attempts. They displayed teamwork with 20 assists out of 27 field goals. In contrast, the Sky had a difficult game, managing only 18 of 56 shots for a 32.1% field goal percentage, shooting a mere 20% from beyond the arc, and committing 19 turnovers.
Notably, Fever head coach Stephanie White was absent owing to personal reasons, prompting Austin Kelly to step in as the acting head coach. The Sky faced additional challenges when Courtney Vandersloot had to leave the game in the first quarter due to a knee injury and did not return.
Looking ahead, the Chicago Sky are scheduled to travel for a game against New York, while the Indiana Fever will face Atlanta on Tuesday.