Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky has become one of the most anticipated WNBA matchups in the league, and it didn’t disappoint on Sunday.
The matchup, featuring the most expensive WNBA seats on record, ended with the Sky winning 88-87 in after a thrilling second-half comeback. It came just one week after the Fever beat the Sky with an impressive 91-83 win.
The first half was incredibly tight, with seven ties and eight lead changes between the two teams. The second had both teams widening the gap, but only for so long: Chicago came out swinging in the second half, going on a 9-0 run to open the half, but the Fever quickly caught up.
As the third quarter finished, Indiana began pulling away, up by as many as 15 in the third quarter. But Chicago surged near the end to cut that lead in half heading into the fourth.
The Sky scraped back to a tie game, 82-82, with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. With a minute remaining, and the score tied at 84-84, Angel Reese hit a go-ahead layup to give Chicago the lead for good. Though Indiana had several opportunities to take the lead in the closing seconds due to a series of missed Chicago free throws, the Sky held on for the win.
Caitlin Clark and Reese, Indiana and Chicago’s top rookies, respectively, each picked up a double-double, in different stats. Clark ended with 17 points and 13 assists, while Reese picked up 25 points — a career high — and 16 rebounds. The game marked Reese’s eighth straight double-double, extending her record as the only rookie to achieve the feat, and making her just the third person in the league to reach the milestone.
Seven of Clark’s assists went to Aliyah Boston, who ended with 18 points. Guard Kelsey Mitchell lead the Fever in points with 24, going 5-for-10 on 3-pointers.
Reese led the Sky in points, followed by Chennedy Carter, who had a massive game with 23 points and five assists. Kamilla Cardoso, the other Sky rookie, earned a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Sunday’s loss to the Sky breaks a four-game winning streak for the Fever, who play Thursday against the Seattle Storm. Chicago, however, will take the confidence boost as they face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, who are on the rise after a slow start to the season.
Indiana and Chicago will face each other for the fourth and final time this season on Aug. 30 in another home game for the Sky. Indiana leads the season series 2-1.
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Angel Reese immediately found Sheryl Swoopes in the stands after their win over the Fever.
Caitlin Clark had 17 points and a team record 13 assists in the loss for the Fever. She shot 5-of-9 from behind the arc, too.
Caitlin Clark: Fever single-game record for assists
Angel Reese: 8th consecutive double-double & career high in points
Angel Reese went off on Sunday afternoon. She had 25 points, 16 rebounds and shot 8-of-12 from the field. It was her eighth straight double-double.
Chicago Sky 88, Indiana Fever 87
The Fever have 0.2 on the clock, but the hail mary fails and time expires. Chicago completes the explosive comeback and takes the one-point win.
Cardoso misses the second. The Fever call a timeout, but there’s confusion on the court.
Cardoso goes to the line for the final moments of the game. Misses the first…
Marina Mabrey misses both free throws, and there’s chaos on the floor as both teams grapple for the ball. Fever takes possession and Boston misses a jumper, and the Sky pull off the incredible comeback win…seemingly.
The referees are checking on timing.
Boston gets in a massive three-pointer to bring Indiana within one point. There’s 20 seconds left and plenty of time for more chaos.
Kamilla Cardoso wrestles the ball away from Aliyah Boston under the hoop and draws the foul. Wintrust Arena is on its feet as the Sky hold on to a small lead — Chicago 87, Indiana 84
Another huge layup from Reese to take the lead. The Sky rookie now has 25 points, a career high.
It’s so loud in Wintrust Arena that Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon is seemingly having to call for the timeout directly in the referee’s ear.
There’s a minute left in the game, and the two teams have matched each other shot-for-shot, then miss-for-miss. 84-84…for now.
Reese draws another foulm but starts getting into it with NaLyssa Smith before taking the free throw. The three-point play ties the game, 82-82.
Another huge layup from Reese gives her 20 points and ties her career high.
Carter gets another layup to hit 20 as well, and Chicago is now within four points of Indiana.
Clark is 5-of-8 beyond the arc today, including this nasty three to open the fourth quarter… and another just a few minutes later.
Stoppage in play as Indiana’s Katie Lou Samuelson gets a technical for tossing the ball behind her. The Sky are doing their best to chip away at the lead: Fever 77, Sky 68.
Huge shot from Reese under pressure — plus the extra free throw — gives the Sky a little bit of momentum as the clock runs out on the quarter.
Indiana 72, Chicago 64 at the end of the third.
Another huge three from Mitchell, with the and-one giving her a four-point play. Indiana is up 72-57, and Chicago is slowly but surely dragging behind.
Indiana now has the biggest lead of the game, after a Clark steal sets up a three-pointer from Kelsey Mitchell and another Clark-assisted layup from Boston. Fever are now up by eleven, and are still in control of the ball.
Both Clark and Reese now have double-doubles, in different stats. Clark has 11 points and 10 assists, while Reese has 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Reese is now the third player in league history with eight consecutive double-doubles.
