Kelsey Mitchell was the top scorer with 29 points in the Indiana Fever’s 101-95 victory against the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday. Caitlin Clark, a standout player, contributed 24 points and seven assists to help Indiana secure their fifth consecutive win. The Scotiabank Arena was filled with fans sporting Clark jerseys to support the team.
Making a comeback after two months due to injury, Brittney Sykes put up 15 points, five assists, and two rebounds for the Tempo (10-24). Marina Mabrey, an all-star player, scored 22 points for Toronto, but it was not enough as they suffered their 11th consecutive loss. Aneesah Morrow, coming off the bench, set a new franchise record with a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Sykes had been sidelined with a left plantar fascia injury sustained in a match against the Fever on June 16. Toronto struggled without her, losing 10 games in a row during her absence. Previously in contention for a playoff spot, the Tempo now have the third-worst record in the WNBA, ahead of only the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
In the game, Indiana showcased their high-scoring prowess, living up to their season average of 96.2 points per game. They excelled in three-point shooting, making 11 out of 25 attempts and dominated inside with 50 points in the paint. Despite trailing throughout the game and facing a deficit of up to 17 points, Toronto displayed some positive aspects such as 22 second-chance points, outrebounding the opponents 41-32, and receiving 38 points from their bench compared to Indiana’s 20.
A crucial moment came when Mabrey sank a three-pointer in the final seconds, narrowing the gap to four points, but the shot was invalidated by the referees for a palming violation. Toronto struggled offensively, converting only 39.1% of their field-goal attempts and 32.4% of their three-point shots.
In their upcoming games, the Fever will face the Dallas Wings on Thursday, while the Tempo will visit the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.
