Fever Host Mercury in Key WNBA Showdown Wednesday Night

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana Fever will look to secure their third consecutive win when they host the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN3.

The Fever (14-12) recently defeated the Las Vegas Aces 80-70 last Thursday and followed it up with a solid 93-78 win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday. Kelsey Mitchell has been exceptional this month, scoring a season-high 35 points against the Sky, shooting 63.2% from the field and 70% from beyond the arc. She currently averages 22.2 points per game in July, ranking second in the WNBA.

The Mercury (16-9) are one of the league’s elite teams but recently faced challenges with three straight losses before bouncing back to defeat the Washington Mystics 88-72. Satou Sabally, the second overall pick from the 2020 WNBA Draft, leads Phoenix with an average of 18 points a game and adds 7 rebounds. Alyssa Thomas, a six-time All-Star, contributes significantly as well, with averages of 15.7 points, 8 rebounds, and a league-leading 9.4 assists.

This matchup marks the first of three encounters this season between the Fever and the Mercury. Sophie Cunningham of the Fever will face her former team for the first time since being drafted by Phoenix in 2019. On the other side, DeWanna Bonner will also meet Indiana for the first time since leaving the team earlier this season. Bonner, who signed with the Fever in the offseason, played just nine games before parting ways with the organization on June 25, later joining the Mercury.

While Indiana remains without star guard Caitlin Clark due to a groin injury, the Mercury are reportedly healthy for this matchup. The Fever have succeeded as home underdogs this season, showcasing a perfect 3-0 record against the spread in that role. As both teams prepare for an intriguing clash, all eyes will be on how the Fever adapt to the absence of Clark while trying to take advantage of the Mercury’s vulnerabilities.