Indiana Fever vs. The Chicago Sky has become one of the most anticipated WNBA matchups in the league and did not disappoint on Sunday.
The game, which featured the most expensive WNBA seats ever, ended with the Sky winning 88-87 after a thrilling second-half comeback. It came just a week after the Fever defeated the Sky with an impressive 91-83 win.
This Sunday’s first half was incredibly tight, with seven draws and eight lead changes between the two teams. In the second half, both teams widened the gap, but only for so long: Chicago came out swinging in the second half, going on a 9-0 run to open the half, but the Fever quickly caught up.
As the third quarter ended, Indiana began to pull away, up by as many as 15 during that period. But Chicago surged toward the end and cut that lead in half heading into the fourth.
The Sky clawed their way back to a tie, 82-82, with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. With a minute left and the score tied at 84-84, Angel Reese hit a go-ahead shot to give Chicago the lead for good. Although Indiana had several chances to take the lead in the final seconds due to a series of missed Chicago free throws, the Sky held on for the win.
Caitlin Clark and Reese, Indiana and Chicago’s top rookies, respectively, each recorded a double-double in several metrics. Clark finished with 17 points and 13 assists, while Reese had 25 points – a career high – and 16 rebounds. The game marked Reese’s eighth consecutive double-double, extending her record as the only rookie to achieve the feat and making her only the third person in the league to reach the milestone.
Seven of Clark’s assists went to Aliyah Boston, who finished with 18 points. Guard Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in points with 24 and went 5-for-10 on 3-pointers.
Reese led the Sky in points, followed by Chennedy Carter, who had a huge game with 23 points and five assists. Kamilla Cardoso, the other Sky rookie, earned a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Sunday’s loss to the Sky snaps a four-game winning streak for the Fever, who play the Seattle Storm on Thursday. However, Chicago will gain confidence ahead of Thursday’s game against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, who are on the rise after a slow start to the season.
Indiana and Chicago will face each other for the fourth and final time this season on August 30 in another home game for the Sky. Indiana leads the season series 2-1.
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Angel Reese immediately found Sheryl Swoopes in the stands after their win over the Fever.
Caitlin Clark had 17 points and a team-record 13 assists in the loss to the Fever. She also shot 5-of-9 from behind the arc.
Caitlin Clark: Fever record for assists in a single game
Angel Reese: 8th consecutive double-double and career high in points
Angel Reese left Sunday afternoon. She had 25 points, 16 rebounds and shot 8-for-12 from the field. It was her eighth double-double in a row.
Chicago Sky 88, Indiana Fever 87
The Fever has 0.2 on the clock, but the Hail Mary fails and time expires. Chicago completes the explosive comeback and takes the one-point victory.
Cardoso misses the second. The Fever call a timeout, but there is confusion on the field.
Cardoso heads to the line for the final moments of the game. Missing the first…
Marina Mabrey misses both free throws and chaos ensues on the floor as both teams struggle for the ball. Fever takes hold and Boston misses a jumper, and the Sky pull off the incredible comeback victory… apparently.
The referees check the timing.
Boston hits a huge three-pointer to bring Indiana within one. There are 20 seconds left and plenty of time for more mayhem.
Kamilla Cardoso wrestles the ball away from Aliyah Boston under the hoop and draws the foul. Wintrust Arena is on its feet as the Sky hold a slim lead: Chicago 87, Indiana 84
Another huge layup from Reese to take the lead. The Sky rookie now has 25 points, a career high.
It’s so loud in Wintrust Arena that Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon apparently has to shout for a timeout directly into the referee’s ear.
There is one minute left in the match and the two teams have matched each other up shot-for-shot and then miss-for-miss. 84-84…for now.
Reese fouls again, but starts getting involved with NaLyssa Smith before hitting the free throw. The three-point play ties the game, 82-82.
Another huge layup from Reese gives her 20 points and ties her career high.
Carter gets another layup and also reaches 20, and Chicago is now within four points of Indiana.
Clark is 5-of-8 from beyond the arc today, including that nasty three to open the fourth quarter… and then again a few minutes later.
Stoppage in play as Indiana’s Katie Lou Samuelson is assessed a technical foul for throwing the ball behind her. The Sky do their best to take away the lead: Fever 77, Sky 68.
A huge shot from Reese under pressure – plus the extra free throw – gives the Sky a little bit of momentum as the clock winds down on the quarter.
Indiana 72, Chicago 64 at the end of the third.
Another huge three from Mitchell, with the and-one giving her a four-point game. Indiana is up 72-57, and Chicago is slowly but surely falling behind.
Indiana now has the largest lead in the game after a Clark steal set up a three-pointer by Kelsey Mitchell and another Clark-assisted layup by Boston. The fever has now gone up by eleven and is still in control of the ball.
Both Clark and Reese now have double-doubles, in different stats. Clark has 11 points and 10 assists, while Reese has 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Reese is now the third player in league history with eight consecutive double-doubles.
