Kelsey Mitchell’s impressive 29-point performance led the Indiana Fever to a hard-fought 101-95 victory over the Toronto Tempo in Tuesday’s game. Star player Caitlin Clark contributed 24 points and seven assists, helping Indiana secure their fifth consecutive win. The Scotiabank Arena was filled with supporters sporting Clark jerseys.
Brittney Sykes, returning to the Tempo lineup after a two-month absence due to injury, recorded 15 points, five assists, and two rebounds. Meanwhile, Marina Mabrey, an all-star player for Toronto, scored 22 points, but it wasn’t enough as the team suffered its 11th consecutive loss. Aneesah Morrow set a new franchise record with a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds coming off the bench.
Sykes had been sidelined with a left plantar fascia injury sustained during a previous match against the Fever, causing Toronto to struggle with a losing streak of 10 games in her absence. Despite being in contention for a playoff spot before the downturn, the Tempo now hold the third-worst record in the WNBA, only ahead of the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm, who are already out of playoff contention.
In terms of performance highlights, the Fever, known for their high-scoring capabilities, lived up to their reputation by scoring 96.2 points per game heading into the match. Indiana excelled in long-range shooting, hitting 44% of their three-point attempts and also dominated in the paint with 50 points.
Although the Tempo never took the lead and faced a deficit of up to 17 points, they showcased some positive aspects in their play. Toronto outperformed Indiana in second-chance points with 22 compared to the Fever’s nine, had a higher rebound count of 41-32, and their bench contributed 38 points, surpassing Indiana’s 20.
A critical moment in the game was when Mabrey made a three-pointer in the closing seconds with Toronto trailing by four, but the shot was invalidated by the referees for a palming violation. Additionally, the Tempo struggled offensively, making 39.1% of their field-goal attempts and 32.4% of their three-point shots.
Looking ahead, the Fever will face the Dallas Wings on Thursday, while the Tempo will visit the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.