Fever Look to Rebound at Home on Tuesday Night against Sparks
August 7, 2023 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Indiana Fever News Release
The Indiana Fever (7-21) return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday night to take on the Los Angeles Sparks in the third and final matchup of the regular season.
The Sparks (10-18) defeated the Fever in back-to-back matchups in Los Angeles on July 25 and July 27. In the first matchup, Indiana narrowly fell, 79-78, after Sparks guard Jordin Canada's go-ahead 3-point field goal put Los Angeles ahead with 3.7 seconds left on the clock. Two days later, Indiana was defeated, 81-68.
Veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell, who has been leading the Fever this season in scoring averaging 16.6 points per game, recorded a team-high 19 points in the first matchup. Erica Wheeler shined in Los Angeles after notching 15 points in the first game, while nearing a double-double with eight assists along with a team-high 17 points in the second game. Wheeler is approaching her 1,000th career assist as she enters Tuesday's matchup with 980 assists in the midst of her eighth WNBA season. In addition, Victoria Vivians tied a career-high with 17 points against the Sparks on July 25.
For Los Angeles, Nneka Ogwumike led all scorers in each game after netting 30 points in the first game and 25 points in the second game. Ogwumike is averaging a team-leading 19.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest entering Tuesday's matchup. The Sparks are also supported by Canada who is leading the team in assists (6.0 apg) and steals (1.9 spg) while also averaging 13.4 points per game.
Fever forward Emma Cannon has stepped off the bench to generate 9.3 points per contest through Indiana's last nine games while earning starts in the last three games. Rookie guard Grace Berger, who recorded a career-high 15 points against New York on July 12, had 11 points in Indiana's second matchup against the Sparks and has averaged 5.1 points per contest through the last nine games.
Entering Tuesday, Indiana ranks sixth in the WNBA in rebounds averaging 34.1 total rebounds per contest, however, the Fever excel on the offensive boards pulling down 9.1 offensive rebounds per game, good for second in the WNBA. On the offensive glass, Los Angeles is ninth averaging 6.8 offensive rebounds per game while allowing opponents 7.3 offensive rebounds per game. Rookie center Aliyah Boston leads the Fever as she has racked up 84 offensive rebounds through the first 28 games of her career while also averaging 14.6 points per game.
In addition, both Curt Miller and Christie Sides are in the midst of their first year as head coaches for their respective teams. Sides was hired in November of 2022 for her first head coaching job following 20 years of previous professional and collegiate coaching experience.
The Sparks hired Miller, two-time WNBA Coach of the Year, in October after seven seasons with the Connecticut Sun, where he guided the Sun to two appearances in the WNBA finals in 2019 and 2022. With the Sparks' win on Sunday, Miller became the fifth-fastest coach in the WNBA to reach 150 wins while also becoming one of only three coaches to have won more than 275 collegiate and 150 professional games, joining Fever General Manager Lin Dunn and Van Chancellor.
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (7-21)
Guard - Kelsey Mitchell (16.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Guard - Erica Wheeler (10.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.9 apg)
Guard - Lexie Hull (5.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.1 spg)
Forward - Emma Cannon (6.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Center - Aliyah Boston (14.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
Los Angeles Sparks (10-18)
Guard - Jordin Canada (13.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 6.0 apg)
Guard - Layshia Clarendon (7.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Guard - Karlie Samuelson (7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Forward - Nneka Ogwumike (19.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.6 spg)
Center - Azura Stevens (9.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.0 spg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: NaLyssa Smith - questionable (left foot stress fracture)
Los Angeles: TBA
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 7, 2023
- Chicago Sky's Ruthy Hebard Suspended - WNBA
- Fever Look to Rebound at Home on Tuesday Night against Sparks - Indiana Fever
- Mercury Signs Guard Destanni Henderson to a 7-Day Contract - Phoenix Mercury
- Rhyne Howard's Mid-Range Jumper Was Unstoppable against Indiana - Atlanta Dream
- Connecticut Sun to Honor Four Women of Inspiration - Connecticut Sun
- Rhyne Howard Shines in Physical Matchup against Indiana - Atlanta Dream
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
