The Indiana Fever prolonged their unforeseen postseason journey with an 89-73 triumph against the Las Vegas Aces in the initial match of their WNBA semifinal playoff confrontation.
Kelsey Mitchell amassed 34 points, converting 4 of 6 attempts from beyond the arc, spearheading Indiana’s offensive effort. Odyssey Sims contributed 17 points, while Natasha Howard accumulated 12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
The Fever initiated a 16-6 scoring sequence at the commencement of the third quarter, propelled by Sims’ 8-point contribution, establishing a 57-43 advantage midway through the period. Subsequently, the Aces responded with a 10-0 run, featuring Chelsea Gray’s five points, narrowing the deficit to 57-53. Nevertheless, Mitchell and Lexie Hull answered with successful 3-point shots, reestablishing the Fever’s lead at 69-55 as they entered the fourth quarter.
Following her recent acknowledgment as the WNBA MVP for the fourth time, A’ja Wilson posted 16 points and secured 13 rebounds for the Aces. However, her shooting accuracy remained at 6-for-22 from the field. Wilson also accumulated four personal fouls heading into the fourth quarter, which constrained her assertiveness in the game’s final stages.
Jackie Young emerged as Las Vegas’ top scorer with 19 points, complemented by seven rebounds, while Dana Evans provided 14 points as a substitute. Gray contributed 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Indiana seized a 19-10 lead with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter, but the Aces countered with an 8-0 run to conclude the period. Las Vegas then initiated the second quarter by scoring the first five points, assuming a 23-19 lead at the 8:24 mark. The Aces reclaimed the lead at 27-25, courtesy of a Wilson layup with 5:05 remaining before halftime.
The two teams then exchanged scores over the subsequent three minutes before Indiana embarked on a 6-0 run to establish a 7-point advantage. However, Wilson responded with a close-range jumper with 19 seconds remaining, narrowing the Aces’ deficit to 41-36 at halftime.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Las Vegas, with the opening tip-off scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.
