The Indiana Fever fell short in a close game against the Washington Mystics on Friday, losing 88-84. Despite a determined effort from three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, the 5-foot-8 guard struggled with her shooting, making only 6 of 19 shots and finishing with 14 points. Mitchell also contributed nine assists but missed a critical layup late in the fourth quarter that could have narrowed the Mystics’ lead to a single point with about 14 seconds left. After that rebound secured by Washington, the Fever were unable to recover.
Stephanie White Reacts to the Crucial Missed Layup
After the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White spoke honestly about the missed layup during the postgame press conference. White revealed that she had called a timeout to design a play intended to get Mitchell a clear shot at the rim.
“Yeah, they’ve been sending two (defenders) to Kelsey, and we figured they’d be in switches during that time, and so we wanted to get something to the rim,”
White explained.
“Get a quick two (or) get a foul, we were going to be in the penalty … It’s just making plays at those moments.”
Coach White Emphasizes Larger Game Issues Over Missed Opportunity
White declined to single out Mitchell’s missed layup as the sole reason for the loss, instead pointing to a significant 22-7 run by Washington that split the game between halves and put Indiana at a steep disadvantage. The coach stated that this run was the moment that
“put us in a hole that we had to come back from.”
She also reflected positively on the team’s efforts late in the game, saying,
“I thought we got good looks in the end, we just didn’t knock some of them down and missed some opportunities.”
Current Standings and Upcoming Matchup
With the defeat, the Fever’s record dropped to 18-16, pushing them down to seventh place in the WNBA standings. Their next challenge comes this Sunday, when they play on the road against the Connecticut Sun, who currently hold the league’s worst record. This game represents a critical opportunity for Indiana to halt their slide and return to winning form.