The Indiana Fever used a decisive 31-point third quarter to defeat the Washington Mystics 85-76 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 3.
Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points, matching her season high, as Indiana (3-4) ended a three-game skid.
The Fever seized control after halftime, outscoring Washington 31-21 in the third frame.
Lexie Hull fueled the run with 12 of her 14 points during the period, including two of Indiana’s franchise-record 11 three-pointers.
The Mystics (3-5) never recovered despite Brittney Sykes and Kiki Iriafen each scoring 20 points.
Mitchell added three assists while going 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Hull contributed six rebounds and four assists.
Newly signed guard Aari McDonald acquired one day before the game, debuted with seven points, five assists and three steal in 27 minutes.
Washington’s Iriafen grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
Leading 38-34 at halftime, Indiana opened the third quarter with a 17-4 run. Hull’s back-to-back threes capped the surge, giving the Fever their largest lead at 55-38 with six minutes remaining in the game.
Washington committed five turnovers during the span.
The Mystics dominated inside with 48 paint points and 33 rebounds but went 1-for-10 from deep.
Indiana visits Chicago on June 7 before returning home to face New York on June 14. Washington hosts Atlanta on June 8.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on TikTok @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more WNBA coverage, 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.
