The Indiana Fever (7-10) continue their road trip with their third game of the season against the Chicago Sky. This game, which will be the first at Wintrust Arena, is scheduled for Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Indiana is riding a four-game winning streak, their longest since August 2015, and holds a 2-0 record against Chicago this season. Their last matchup was at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever secured a 91-83 victory. In their first meeting, Indiana narrowly defeated the Sky 71-70 at home.
Both teams come into Friday’s game with recent wins. Indiana defeated the Atlanta Dream 91-79 at State Farm Arena, while Chicago ended a four-game losing streak with an 83-72 victory over the Dallas Wings at home. Key contributors in Indiana’s win included forward NaLyssa Smith with 21 points, guards Kelsey Mitchell and rookie Caitlin Clark with 18 and 16 points respectively, and center Aliyah Boston and forward Katie Lou Samuelson each adding 10 points. The Fever outperformed the Dream in paint points (48-26) and recorded a season-high 24 assists.
Rookie Caitlin Clark made history on Friday by becoming the fastest rookie in WNBA history to achieve at least 250 points and 100 assists within 17 games. If she scores 24 points and collects eight rebounds against Chicago on Sunday, she will surpass Shannon Johnson’s record by becoming the fastest rookie to achieve 300+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 100+ assists in 18 games.
In Chicago’s (5-9) win against Dallas, guards Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter each scored 19 points, guard Dana Evans added 12 points, and rookie forward Angel Reese achieved a career-high with 18 rebounds and 16 points. The Sky outscored the Wings in paint points (48-22), fast-break points (14-11), and bench points (18-13). Reese’s performance marked her seventh consecutive double-double, setting a new record for the longest double-double streak by a rookie in WNBA history.
In their last encounter with Indiana, six Fever players shot 50 percent or better from the floor, and four players scored in double figures. Caitlin Clark led with 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting, tied her career-high with nine assists, and grabbed eight rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith contributed 17 and 15 points respectively, combining for 11 rebounds and four assists. For Chicago, five players scored in double figures, with Mabrey and Carter leading the way with 22 and 18 points each. Angel Reese logged another double-double with 13 rebounds and 11 points, and rookie center Kamilla Cardoso also recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Indiana outscored Chicago in paint points (50-44), while the Sky led in bench points (20-17) and fast-break points (17-12).
The upcoming game at Wintrust Arena promises to be another exciting chapter in the season series between the Fever and the Sky, with both teams aiming to continue their recent successes and build momentum.
