INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell tallied 23 points while Lexi Hull contributed all of her 14 points in the second half, stepping up in the absence of Caitlyn Clark to end a three-game losing streak by defeating the Washington Mystics 85-76 on Tuesday night.
Clark missed the game due to left quad tension, and veteran guard Sophie Cunningham also sat out early in Friday’s loss to Connecticut, not participating against the Mystics.
The Fever exploded for 31 points in the third quarter, building a 69-55 advantage after scoring 38 points in the first half. Ahri MacDonald, making her debut for Indiana, hit the Fever’s fifth three-pointer with 2:29 remaining in the quarter.
Washington managed only 12 points in the final quarter, coming within 69-67 after a layup by Britney Sykes.
Nonetheless, Indiana responded with seven consecutive points to secure the game. Hal converted an open layup to increase the lead to 78-73 and played a key role in forcing a jump ball shortly after. The Fever won the jump, and Mitchell extended the lead to 8 points with an acrobatic layup at 1:28.
Aliya Boston added 10 points for Indiana (3-4). Meanwhile, Kiki Iriafen and Sykes each scored 20 points for Washington (3-5). Rookie Sonia Citron, who averages 14.3 points per game, contributed 13 points, while Shakira Austin chipped in 10.
The Fever set a season-high with 11 three-pointers, while the Mystics struggled, making only one out of ten attempts from long range.
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Source: apnews.com