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Game Preview: Fever Play Mercury in Last Home Game Before Olympic Break – Indiana Fever
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Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury
Friday, July 12
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:30 p.m. ET
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Broadcast Information
ION
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (9-14)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (16.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 7.6 apg)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (16.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (13.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Forward – Katie Lou Samuelson (5.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Phoenix Mercury (12-10)
Guard – Kahleah Copper (23.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Guard – Natasha Cloud (12.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 7.2 apg)
Center – Brittney Griner (19.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Forward – Rebecca Allen (7.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.9 apg)
Forward – Sophie Cunningham (7.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – OUT (Right Thumb)
Phoenix: Charisma Osborne – OUT (Left Lower Leg), Sug Sutton – OUT (Right Hamstring), Diana Taurasi – OUT (Left Lower Leg)
GAME PREVIEW:
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever (9-14) close out its three-game homestand on Friday night as the Phoenix Mercury travel for the teams’ second meeting of the regular season. Friday’s matchup will be Indiana’s final home game until August 16 when the Fever host the Mercury again in Indianapolis for its first game back after this summer’s Olympic break. Friday’s game is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will broadcast on ION.
The Fever and Mercury last met on June 30 at Footprint Center in Phoenix for the first matchup of the season as Indiana won, 88-82. Indiana overcame a 15-point deficit, surged by a 25-9 run in the second half to outscore the Mercury, 29-15, in the third quarter. Five Fever players scored in double figures against the Mercury, led by center Aliyah Boston’s 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.
Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark has had dominant performances in the last two games against the New York Liberty on Saturday and the Washington Mystics on Wednesday during the homestand. On Saturday, Clark became the first player in franchise history and first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds while the Fever surged past the Liberty. In Wednesday’s loss to Washington, Clark recorded a game-high 29 points, tied a franchise-high 13 assists again, a career-high five steals, five rebounds, five made 3-point field goals and three blocks.
The Mercury (12-10) enter Friday on a three-game winning streak. In Phoenix’s win against Dallas on Wednesday, four Mercury players scored in double figures, led by guard Kahleah Copper’s game-high 32 points while Mercury center Brittney Griner followed with 23 points. In Indiana and Phoenix’s last battle, Copper only scored seven points while Griner recorded a game-high 24 points on 8-of-13 field goal shooting.
Clark has moved up to 11th place among all players in the league for scoring – her highest standing of the season – averaging 16.7 ppg, while leading all rookies in scoring as well. Mercury guard Diana Taurasi is tied for 12th place, averaging 16.6 ppg, while Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is in 13th, averaging 16.4 ppg. Clark and Mercury guard Natasha Cloud are both in the top three in assists per game in the WNBA with Clark in second place averaging 7.6 apg and Cloud in third place averaging 7.2 apg.
Boston is ranked ninth in league rebounds, averaging 8.3 rebounds per game, as Fever forward NaLyssa Smith is two spots behind, averaging 7.7 rpg. Mercury forward Natasha Mack is tied for 19th place in the WNBA averaging 5.0 rpg.
Next week, Boston, Clark and Mitchell will travel to Footprint Center to play in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Indiana’s three All-Stars will take on Mercury Olympians Copper, Griner and Taurasi, who will be representing the USA Women’s National Team.
Indiana Fever
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