Kelsey Mitchell scored a game-high 24 points Thursday night to lead five players in double figures as the Indiana Fever won for just the third time in 18 games, thumping the Minnesota Lynx 91-73 in Indianapolis.
Rookie Aliyah Boston added 15 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana (8-22), while Erica Wheeler contributed 17 points and 10 assists. Kristy Wallace chipped in 13 points and NaLyssa Smith came off the bench to tally 12.
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The Fever, who have been frustrated by a lack of execution on both ends of the floor in key moments, made sure this wasn't a close game with a good all-around performance. They shot 50 percent from the field, going 10-of-27 on 3-pointers, and controlled the boards 39-26.
Rachel Banham led Minnesota (14-16) with 18 points off the bench, while Jessica Shepard added 13, Diamond Miller 11 and Kayla McBride 10. But Napheesa Collier, the WNBA's third-leading scorer at 21.9 ppg entering the game, didn't score until the 5:34 mark of the third quarter and finished with only eight points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Indiana enjoyed a 34-18 advantage in points in the paint and also converted 13 Lynx turnovers into 18 points.
Indiana hinted at what was to come with an eight-point run that gave it a 17-11 lead at the 2:49 mark of the first quarter on Wheeler's layup, although Minnesota rallied with 10 straight points to assume a 21-20 edge after 10 minutes.
The Fever created separation by dominating the final five minutes of the first half. Beginning with Victoria Vivians' three-point play at the 5:06 mark, they ended the half with a 17-7 run. Mitchell's layup before the buzzer made it 45-35 at intermission.
Indiana expanded the advantage to 59-41 with 5:52 remaining in the third quarter on Boston's layup before the Lynx finally got Collier going. She scored eight points in less than 3陆 minutes to help them pull within 71-59 going to the fourth period.
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