The Indiana Fever concluded their regular season with a narrow defeat, losing 92-91 to the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on Thursday night. This game drew a record crowd of 20,711, setting a WNBA milestone for the highest attendance in the league’s history. The Fever will now prepare to face the No. 3 seed Connecticut Sun in the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs, scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Indiana’s bench delivered an impressive performance, contributing a season-best 53 points, while four players recorded double-digit scoring. Kristy Wallace led the Fever off the bench with a personal season-high of 17 points along with four rebounds. NaLyssa Smith followed with 16 points and five rebounds. Center Aliyah Boston and reserve forward Katie Lou Samuelson each scored 10 points, collectively adding seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Rookie guard Caitlin Clark also made a mark with eight points, eight assists, and five rebounds in about 20 minutes on the court, concluding the season with a franchise record of 769 points scored.
The Fever started strong, leading 20-2 in the first quarter, but the Mystics responded with a 20-4 run, bringing the score to 24-22 at the end of the quarter. Washington continued to build on this momentum, leading 52-45 at halftime. Despite a timeout by Indiana after the Mystics began the second half with a 12-3 run, Washington maintained their lead, finishing the third quarter ahead by 16 points. The Fever made a late-game surge, outscoring Washington 25-10, but ultimately fell short.
In a close victory for the Mystics, five players scored in double figures, with Sika Koné leading the way with a game-high 20 points, along with seven rebounds and two assists. Ariel Atkins and Emily Engstler both contributed 17 points, with Atkins also making significant defensive plays, including three steals. Engstler matched her season-high with three 3-pointers and added five rebounds, five assists, one block, and one steal.
Next up, the Fever will begin their playoff journey against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, with the game available on ABC.