Match Recap: Fever Season Ends With Game 2 Loss at Sun

UNCASVILLE, CONN. – The 2024 season came to an end for the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night in Game 2 of their first-round postseason series against the Connecticut Sun after a narrow 87-81 loss at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Fever fought back 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, who tied the most points ever scored by a rookie in Game 2 of a playoff series with a game-high 25 points, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Clark also finished with nine assists, six rebounds, one block and one steal. Fever center Aliyah Boston had 16 points on 7 of 12 field goal shooting, a career-best 19 rebounds, 11 of which came in the first half, three assists, two blocks and one 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 earned her first career postseason start on Wednesday and nearly finished with a double-double, posting 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 over six minutes into the first quarter and limited Connecticut to just 1-of-13 field goal shooting to start the game. Indiana trailed by as many as 10 points in the second quarter, but trailed only 41-34 at halftime. Indiana went on a quick 7-0 run to open the second half, and a made 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 run by Connecticut to close out halftime gave the Sun a 61-52 lead entering the final quarter. Indiana went on a 14-5 run and held a 77-75 lead with two minutes left in the game before Connecticut finally secured the victory.

Indiana outscored Connecticut in points in the paint (48-40), fastbreak points (19-9) and outscored the Sun in rebounds (43-29).

Connecticut’s win on Wednesday sends the Sun into the semifinals, where they await the winner of the first-round game between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury. Five Sun players scored in double figures on Wednesday, led by forward Alyssa Thomas’ 19-point, 13-assist double-double. Thomas holds the record for most points and assists 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 in the third quarter, two rebounds and two blocks. Sun forward DeWanna Bonner played in her 82nd playoff game on Wednesday, tying her with Lindsay Whalen for the most postseason games played in the WNBA. Bonner finished her night with 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, moving her past Teresa Weatherspoon into 11th place on the WNBA’s all-time playoff assists list with 187. The Sun outscored the Fever in bench points, 18-6, helped by guard Veronica Burton’s 10 points.