Fever Season Ends in Game 2 Loss at Sun

Game Recap: Fever Season Ends in Game 2 Loss at Sun

UNCASVILLE, CONN. – The 2024 season came to a close for the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night in Game 2 of its first round postseason series against the Connecticut Sun following a narrow, 87-81, loss at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Fever battled from an 11-point deficit to take the lead, 77-75, late in the fourth quarter, but Connecticut closed the door with a 12-4 run to decide the series.

Three Fever players scored in double figures in the loss, led by rookie guard Caitlin Clark tying the most points ever scored by a rookie in any Game 2 of a playoff series with a game-high 25 points, per Elias Sports Bureau. Clark also ended with nine assists, six rebounds, one block and one steal. Fever center Aliyah Boston tallied 16 points on 7-of-12 field goal shooting, a career-best 19 rebounds, 11 of which came from the first half, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Boston’s 11 rebounds in the first half tied the franchise record for the 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 earned her first career postseason start on Wednesday and nearly ended with a double-double, notching nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal. In her second career postseason start, guard Lexie Hull finished with eight points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

Clark opened the night with a made 3-point field goal as Indiana went on a 14-6 run for more than six minutes in the first quarter and limited Connecticut to only 1-of-13 field goal shooting to begin the game. Indiana trailed by as much as 10 in the second quarter, but only trailed, 41-34, at halftime. Indiana went on a quick 7-0 run to open the second half and a made layup by Boston evened the score, 41-41. The Fever took a brief lead, 48-47, with five minutes left in the third quarter, but another Connecticut run to close the interval gave the Sun a 61-52 lead going into the last quarter. Indiana went on a 14-5 run and held a 77-75 lead with two minutes remaining in the game before Connecticut ultimately sealed the victory.

Indiana outscored Connecticut in paint points, 48-40, fast break points, 19-9, and outrebounded the Sun, 43-29.

Connecticut’s win on Wednesday advances the Sun to the semifinal round and awaits the winner of the first round series between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury. Five Sun players scored in double figures on Wednesday, led by forward Alyssa Thomas’s 19-point, 13-assist double-double. Thomas owns the record for the most point and assist double-doubles in WNBA playoff history. Sun guard Marina Mabrey got her first postseason start with Connecticut on Wednesday in place of Tyasha Harris, who suffered an ankle injury in Game 1. Mabrey finished with 17 points, six assists, four of which came from the third quarter, two rebounds and two blocks. Sun forward DeWanna Bonner played her 82nd playoff game on Wednesday, tying her with Lindsay Whalen for first place on the WNBA’s all-time postseason games played list. Bonner capped her night with 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, to pass Teresa Weatherspoon for 11th on the WNBA all-time playoffs assists list with 187. The Sun outscored the Fever in bench points, 18-6, aided by guard Veronica Burton’s 10 points.