The Indiana Fever lost the homecourt advantage they worked hard to earn in the first game of the WNBA semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces.
The Aces won 84-72, taking advantage of a poor shooting night from the Fever in Game 3. The Aces have a 2-1 series elad and can clinch a WNBA Finals berth with a win at 3 p.m. Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Here’s a recap of how the game happened.
The Aces won 84-72.
Lexie Hull was still scrappy in going after loose balls, collapsing on A’ja Wilson dives and was able to get her shot going. But she just fouled out with the Aces leading 76-68 with 48.8 left.
A’ja Wilson has not played well tonight but her bucket gave the ACes their largest lead of the night, 73-61, as Fever fans leave early. The suite next to me filled with family and boyfriend Bam Adebayo had someone yell, “Talk your smack, A’ja”
The Fever have missed eight straight shots to open the fourth quarter and trail the Aces 69-59 with 3:15 left.
Two suites over from where I’m standing is a suite filled with A’ja Wilson’s family and friends. Among them are her father, Roscoe Wilson Jr, who just shed a microphone and had a camera man with a WNBA vest shake his hand before leaving.
Also in the box is A’ja Wilson’s boyfriend, Bam Adebayo.
The shooting hasn’t been good enough for the Fever tonight. They’re making 31.7% of shots and are 6 for 19 (31.6%) from the 3-point line. Kelsey Mitchell is 7 for 22 while Aliyah Boston is 4 for 14.
The Aces have matched their largest lead of the game at 10 by ballooning their lead to 69-59 with 4:21 left. Fever coach Stephanie White calls timeout.
The Fever are 13 for 20 at the free throw line, a stark contrast from the Aces being 5 for 6. Meanwhile, the fouls are not that great of a disparity: 18-15 Aces.
Becky Hammon’s challenge was successful. Aces ball looking to add to a six-point lead.
We’re at an Aces challenge with the Aces leading 65-59 and 5:37 left.
Shey Peddy read the passing lane and was going for a loose ball, jumping the route like a defensive back to steal the ball intended for Jewel Lloyd. Peddy was called for the foul though one official looked as if he was going to call it the other way.
The landing space of Lexie Hull was clean, per an officials review. She’ll get two free throws with the Aces leading 61-57 with 7:28 left.
The Aces have a 61-57 lead with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter as officials review an excessive contact foul.
Jackie Young has 21 points, Kelsey Mitchell has 18 points and Lexie Hull has 13 points.
Fever players are wanting to challenge everything but Stephanie White has not yet. White was staring at her bench and opted not to challenge an out of bounds call on a potential Makayla Timpson steal. The officials gave the Aces the inbounds and White turned and yelled at her bench in frustration.
Makayla Timpson caught a pass from Kelsey Mitchell on a roll, and drew a foul from A’ja Wilson. It was Wilson’s fourth foul but she’s staying in the game.
Obi Toppin was wearing a Fever “Stranger Things” jersey, Tyrese Haliburton was sitting next to Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend Connor McCaffery and host of other Pacers were in a suite for Friday night’s game. Ben Sheppard and Bennedict Mathurin were sitting courtside opposite Haliburton.
Not announced: Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, who is two suites over from where I am in media seating.
The Aces took a 59-56 lead into the fourth quarter. But it’s remarkable that they once led by 10 and the Fever stormed back to take a three-point lead on several occasions. Jackie Young had a runout layup after a 3-second call on the Fever.
A’ja Wilson hit a 3-pointer to open the game, and then hit a jumper from the right elbow with 2:03 left in the third quarter. She missed 12 shots between those makes. She has five points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.
This is the loudest Gainbridge Fieldhouse has been tonight: Aerial Powers, playing with Lexie Hull on the bench with four fouls, just jumped and stole a Jackie Young pass and was fouled while trying to get out in transition.
Fever lead 52-51 with 2:20 left.
The Indiana Fever mascot is named Freddy Fever. It is a bundle of fun most nights.
Fever coach Stephanie White was out on the court trying to get an officials’ attention on to call a timeout and challenge the foul called on Aliyah Boston. White and the bench saw a replay on the video board of Dana Evans initiating contact.
Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham tried to help get the officials’ attention, too.
Lexie Hull is sitting on the Fever bench after picking up her fourth foul. During practice Thursday, IndyStar Fever insider Chloe Peterson watched Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers take her reps on the wing.
Bam Adebayo isn’t the only NBA star in Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is also on hand, sitting courtside.
Lexie Hull just picked up her fourth foul with 4:47 left in the third quarter. The game is tied at 48, one in which the Aces led by as many as 10 before a long Fever run to take a three-point lead in the third quarter.
Hull has 13 points with eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Kelsey Mitchell has a team-high 15 points.
Meanwhile Jackie Young leads all scorers with 19 points. A’ja Wilson is 1 for 12 with three points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks. Wilson made a 3 to open the game and hasn’t hit a shot since, often dealing with double teams.
The Fever are on a 21-9 run extended into the first half. The Aces led 30-21 and the Fever now lead 42-39 with 7:50 left in the third quarter.
Not for nothing, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is in Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight as a spectator. He is two suites over from me. Adebayo is dating four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and helped present her the award over the weekend.
Aliyha Boston’s bucket in the lane gives the Fever their first lead of the game after once trailing by 10.
The Fever were once down 10 and have pulled within 35-34 of the Aces, charging back with great 3-point shooting. Kelsey Mitchell is up to 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting and 2 for 7 on 3s. Lexie Hull has 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.
Four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson has struggled. The Fever have double-teamed her and she is 1 for 11 with three points, five rebounds, two assists and four blocked shots. But the rest of the Aces are 14 for 26 (53.8%) led by Jackie Young’s 10 points. Former Fever NaLyssa Smith has eight points.
Kelsey Mitchell had a tough layup in the lane which she converted into an and-1 earlier. She’s now hit back-to-back 3s. The Fever were 1 for 8 on 3-pointers but Lexie Hull and Mitchell’s two makes give them three straight from distance.
And it’s cut the Aces lead down to 35-32 with 1:19 left. Las Vegas once led by 10.
Lexie Hull added another offensive rebound to her total. She talked pregame about playing through pain and how nobody truly feels 100% in the playoffs. She has seven points, six rebounds (two offensive), two assists and a steal in 14 minutes and is 3 for 6 shooting.
The Aces lead the Fever 30-23 with 3:48 left in the first half. Aces coach Becky Hammon took a timeout after the latest offensive rebound and Hull free-throw jumper.
Imagine a world in which A’ja Wilson is 1 for 8 shooting midway through the second quarter. You’d think the Fever would be winning, right? They’re down 28-19 with 5:38 left until halftime.
Kelsey Mitchell (1-7) and Odyssey Sims (0-5) are a combined 1 for 12 tonight. The Fever are shooting 28.6% from the field and are 1 for 7 on 3-pointers with the lone make from Lexie Hull.
The Fever brought back the “Stranger Things” jerseys this season coinciding with Season 5 of the popular Netflix series, which is set in fictitious Hawkins, Indiana. Read more here.
The Fever are shooting 7 for 21 for the field and are just 1 for 7 from 3-point range. Kelsey Mitchell is 1 for 5 from the field and Odyssey Sims is 0 for 5. Those numbers should have some positive regression at some point (translation: It can’t get much worse).
Photographer Grace Hollars has these photos from the first quarter. Be sure to refresh the gallery as she adds to it tonight.
The Fever trailed by as many as seven in the first quarter, despite double-teaming A’ja Wilson and limiting her to three points, four rebounds and two assists while shooting 1 for 7. However, the Aces otherwise were 7 for 12 and lead 20-16.
Aliyah Boston scored a pair of second-chance opportunities to close the quarter with a Fever-high six points. Lexie Hull also hit a 3-pointer to give her five.
A’ja Wilson started 1 of 6, making her first shot as a 3-pointer, in part due to the Fever double-teaming her on touches. The Aces are shooting 6 for 8 taking away Wilson’s shots and have built a 15-9 lead late in the first quarter.
The Aces lead 11-6 with 4:42 left in the first quarter. Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull each have two points. NaLyssa Smith, the former Fever draft pick who was great in Game 2, leads all scorers with four points.
Fever fans gave Makayla Timpson a roaring cheer as she was the first player off the bench. She made an instant impact by forcing a jump ball underneath the Fever basket. Here’s more on Timpson.
The Aces held a 7-2 lead to start the game but the Fever have gathered themselves defensively and cut it to 9-6 with 5:30 left.
A’ja Wilson has three points and two rebounds while shooting 1 for 4 to start the game. The Fever are bringing an early double team against her, and once already has Lexie Hull crashed the roll to force a turnover.
That Wilson make, by the way, was a 3 to open the game.
There isn’t an official count of fans in the building tonight, but I can say there are more than Game 2 of the first round against the Atlanta Dream. The large swaths of empty seats in the upper corners are far more filled tonight.
The matriarch of the Pacers, Nancy Leonard, died this week. The Fever had a moment of remembrance prior to the game. Here is IndyStar’s coverage:
The Indiana Fever are wearing their black and read “Stranger Things” themed jerseys for tonight’s Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Fever fans are still filing into the arena at various levels.
Kelsey Mitchell has had a great postseason run, but struggled in Game 2. Here’s a story on her career year.
Here are the first five for the Fever tonight: Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Aliyah Boston, Odyssey Sims, Natasha Howard.
Caitlin Clark gets to add Hall of Famer to her resume as she’s inducted into the Dowling Catholic High School Hall of fame Friday night. She is at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Fever to host the Aces in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals. Click here to read more.
Lexie Hull was probable with a back injury and told reporters pregame that she will play.
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark is ineligible to play for the Fever in the playoffs. Indiana submitted its playoff roster and can not add Clark. She was ruled out with a season-ending injury prior to the playoffs.
What time do the Indiana Fever play the Las Vegas Aces on today, Sept. 26? When is Game 3 of the Indiana Fever vs. the Las Vegas Aces WNBA playoff series?
Game 3 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 26, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Where to watch the Indiana Fever vs. the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA playoffs? What channel are Indiana Fever vs. the Las Vegas Aces on today, Sept. 26?
TV: ESPN2, with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline)
Watch the WNBA playoffs with a free Fubo trial
Sept. 21: Indiana 89, Las Vegas 73Sept. 23: Las Vegas 90, Indiana 68Friday, Sept. 26: at Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2Sunday, Sept. 28: at Indiana, 3 p.m. ET, ABCTuesday, Sept: 30: at Las Vegas, time, TV TBD, if necessary
Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (back) is listed as probable. The following players are out: Damiris Dantis (concussion), Caitlin Clark (groin), Sophie Cunningham (knee), Aari McDonald (foot), Sydney Colson (knee), Chloe Bibby (knee).
Chloe Peterson, IndyStar: Las Vegas 75-72
“Las Vegas found the recipe for a dominating win over Indiana on Tuesday: Draw a lot of shooting fouls and control the pace. And the Aces will try to do that again at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“The game can go a lot of ways, depending first on the officiating (and how tight of a game the referees decide to call) and second on if the Fever can pick up the pace like they did in Game 1. I think the Aces have the slight advantage because of their ability to draw fouls.”
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Radio: 93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with John Nolan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst) Stream: SiriusXM Channel 81via BetMGMFavorite: Aces by 4.5 pointsOver/under: 163.5 total pointsMoneyline: Fever +155, Aces -190ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Fever a 52.5% chance of winning.
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