The Indiana Fever hoisted their first-ever WNBA Commissioner’s Cup trophy on July 1.
They defeated the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 at Target Center, earning the team a $500,000 prize and triggering a $23,000 donation to their community partner, the Peace Learning Center in Indianapolis.
Forward Natasha Howard was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
“We are really good when she (Howard) is aggressive,” Lexie Hull said. “She was about to get downhill, get some easy buckets around the basket, it was huge. We need that from her every night.”
Howard led the Fever with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Her dominant third quarter (10 points) helped secure the victory. Aliyah Boston added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sophie Cunningham scored 13 points.
Guards Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald each contributed 12 points. The Howard, Boston and Cunningham trio combined for 30 rebounds, matching the Lynx’s entire team total (40-30).
The Fever overcame a slow start. They trailed 20-12 after the first quarter. Indiana’s defense then stifled Minnesota. The Lynx managed seven points in the second period. The Fever closed the half on a decisive 18-0 run, turning a deficit into a 32-27 halftime lead.
They never relinquished control. Boston scored six points in the fourth quarter, and Cunningham added five more to seal the victory.
This triumph marks Indiana’s first trophy since winning the 2012 WNBA championship. It comes in their first appearance in the Cup final. The win underscores a significant shift for the young team. They are proving capable of beating the league’s elite.
In June, the Fever snapped the New York Liberty’s nine-game winning streak. They also secured a victory over the Seattle Storm. They’ve toppled the Western Conference-leading Lynx on their home floor for the Cup.
Howard earned her 58th career double-double and third this season. Boston recorded her 34th career double-double, her eighth this year. Mitchell extended her double-digit scoring streak to 17 games across all competitions. She has scored 10+ points in every game this season.
The Commissioner’s Cup win provides tangible rewards and momentum. It also fuels belief within the franchise. The Fever aim for their first WNBA championship in over a decade, and beating championship contenders consistently suggests they might be on that path.
Caitlin Clark, who missed the championship game with a left groin injury, did not hesitate to call out the naysayers doubting the Fever.
“I know the entire league is sick,” Clark said while spraying the celebratory champagne throughout the locker room.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more Indiana Fever news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
