Match report: The fever season ends with a defeat in the second game at Sun

UNCASVILLE, CONN. — The 2024 season ended for the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night in the second game of their first postseason series against the Connecticut Sun after a close 87-81 loss at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Fever fought back from an 11-point deficit to take a 77-75 lead late in the fourth quarter, but Connecticut sealed the deal with a 12-4 run to decide the series.

Three Fever players scored in double figures in the loss, led by rookie Caitlin Clark, who scored the highest point total ever by a rookie in the second game of a playoff series with 25 points, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Clark also had nine assists, six rebounds, a block and a steal. Fever center Aliyah Boston scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 19 rebounds (a career high, 11 of them in the first half), three assists, two blocks and a steal. Boston’s 11 first-half rebounds tied the franchise record for most rebounds in a half in a playoff game.

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell followed with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists. Fever forward Temi Fagbenle made her first career postseason start on Wednesday and nearly recorded a double-double, with nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal. In her second career postseason start, guard Lexie Hull finished with eight points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Clark opened the night with a converted 3-point field goal as Indiana went on a 14-6 run for over six minutes in the first quarter and Connecticut made just 1 of 13 field goals to start the game. Indiana trailed by as many as 10 points in the second quarter but was down 41-34 at halftime. Indiana went on a quick 7-0 run to start the second half and a converted layup by Boston tied the score at 41-41. The Fever briefly took a 48-47 lead with five minutes left in the third quarter, but another Connecticut run to end the half gave the Sun a 61-52 lead heading into the final quarter. Indiana went on a 14-5 run and took a 77-75 lead with two minutes left in the game before Connecticut finally claimed the win.

Indiana scored more points in the paint (48-40), more points in the fast break (19-9) and more rebounds than the Sun (43-29).

Connecticut’s win on Wednesday puts the Sun in the semifinals to face the winner of the first round match between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury. Five Sun players scored in double figures on Wednesday, led by forward Alyssa Thomas with a double-double of 19 points and 13 assists. Thomas holds the record for most double-doubles with points and assists in WNBA playoff history. Sun player Marina Mabrey made her first postseason appearance with Connecticut on Wednesday, replacing Tyasha Harris, who suffered an ankle injury in Game 1. Mabrey finished with 17 points, six assists, including four in the third quarter, two rebounds and two blocks. Sun player DeWanna Bonner played her 82nd playoff game on Wednesday, tying Lindsay Whalen for the most postseason games played in the WNBA all-time. Bonner capped her night with 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, passing Teresa Weatherspoon for 11th place on the WNBA’s all-time playoff assist list with 187. The Sun outscored the Fever in bench points 18-6, helped by 10 points from guard Veronica Burton.