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Posts tagged as “Natasha Howard”

Fever routs Mystics to clinch playoff spot (94 – 65)

The Indiana Fever has secured their playoff spot after defeating the Washington Mystics (94 – 65). Fever clinched the playoff despite missing five players to season-ending injuries, including their Superstar Caitlin Clark to groin injury.

It was a competitive first half, with the Fever leading by just seven points. But in the 3rd quarter, the Fever limited the Mystics to just 9 points while scoring 17 points, and then in the final frame, the Fever ran away with the game, leading by as much as 33 points before closing the game 94 – 65.

Natasha Howard led the Fever with 17 points, with another solid game from Aliyah Boston with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Kelsey Mitchell added 10 points. Shey Peddy and Aerial Powers, Indiana’s recent additions via “hardship signing,” made solid contributions, scoring 13 points and 15 points, respectively.

Rookie sensation Sonia Citron led the Washington Mystics with 17 points, with Shakira Austin and fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen scoring 11 points apiece. No other Washington player scored more than 7 points. Citron set a new Washington Mystics scoring record for total points in a season at 644 points, passing Brittney Sykes’ previous mark of 636 in 2023.

With just one more game, the Fever are already assured of a 7th seed in the playoffs, and they have a chance to move up to the 6th seed if the Golden State Warriors lose their game against the Seattle Storm. Both teams are fighting for their playoff spot.

The Indiana Fever will face the Minnesota Lynx for their last game of the season while the Mystics will face the New York Liberty.

Game Highlights

Indiana Fever Suffers Close Loss to Dallas Wings (81 – 80)

The Indiana Fever suffered a 1-point loss to the Dallas Wings, falling 81-80 in a close matchup. Maddy Siegrist led the Wings with a career-high 22 points in her first start since June 6. Paige Bueckers had another impressive all-around performance with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Li Yueru added 20 points off the bench.

The Fever played catch-up for most of the game, briefly leading by six points (46-52). However, the Wings went on a dominant 32-9 run, building a 17-point lead (78-61) in the middle of the fourth quarter. The Fever managed to cut the lead to just one point with 33.4 seconds left, but Kelsey Mitchell missed a 15-foot pull-up jumper that could have secured the win.

Mitchell led the Fever with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Sophie Cunningham and Aliyah Boston each added 14 points, and Natasha Howard had another double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Chloe Bibby had her highest production as a member of the Fever, scoring 11 points in just 11 minutes of play. The Fever were without their star point guard Caitlin Clark, who is reportedly “progressing from an injured right groin but still is not practicing” with the team.

Next for the Fever will be against the Washington Mystics while the Wings will host the Sparks, both games will be this Friday.

Full Game Highlights

Short-handed Indiana Fever gives Chicago Sky a 22-point beating (92 – 70)

Even though the Fever were without their three point guards, they handed the Sky a 22-point beating (92–70).

Four of the Indiana Fever’s starters scored in double digits: Aliyah Boston with 15 points, Kelsey Mitchell with 26 points (4-of-8 from the three-point line) and 8 assists, Sophie Cunningham with 16 points (3-of-6 from the three-point line), and Lexie Hull with 17 points (4-of-6 from the three-point line). Natasha Howard also contributed 7 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The bench also made an impact, especially on the defensive end, with three steals and two blocks. Makayla Timpson added 7 points off the bench.

Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald are both out with season-ending injuries from their last game against Phoenix. Colson suffered a torn left ACL, while McDonald had a broken bone in her right foot. Caitlin Clark is also still out with a groin injury.

Sky are also missing some key players mainly Angel Reese with a back injury and Courtney Vandersloot with a torn right ACL injury.

The Indiana Fever will play their next two games at home, starting with the Dallas Wings this Wednesday. The Sky will visit Connecticut on Thursday.

Indiana Fever Wins 5th Straight Game Over Seattle Storm (78 – 74)

The Indiana Fever continued their impressive run, securing their fifth consecutive victory with a gritty 78-74 win over the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night. Despite being without star Caitlin Clark for the seventh straight game, the Fever showcased their depth and resilience, improving their record to 17-12 on the season and are currently 5th in the standing and just 1.5 game behind NY Liberty.

The Fever were led by a stellar performance from Natasha Howard, who scored 21 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Sophie Cunningham added a season-high 17 points, including a scorching 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Aliyah Boston continued her dominant form, notching another double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, proving crucial down the stretch scoring nine-straight points in the fourth quarter.

It was close game but the Fever was able to build an 8-point lead (42-34) at halftime, fueled by strong offensive contributions from Howard and Cunningham, and the rest of the team, Indiana was able to extend the lead to 13-points mid-3rd quarter. Seattle, however, refused to back down, made a significant push at the end of third quarter and all of the 4th quarter. Storm even cut the lead to just 1 point via Dominique Malonga’s inside play with 12.2 seconds left in the game (75 – 74). Then Kelsey Mitchell made a late layup with 8.21 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 3-point cushion. Aliyah Boston added a key free throw in the closing seconds to ice the game.

The Storm, led by Nneka Ogwumike’s 16 points, followed by Skylar Diggins’ 13 points, Gabby Williams (12 points, 9 rebounds), and Dominique Malonga (12 points).

The Indiana Fever will look to continue their winning streak as they face the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. While the Seattle Storm will host the league-leading Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday.

Full Game High Lights;

Fever Extends Win Streak against Wings (88 – 78)

The Indiana Fever are on a roll as they win their 4th straight games at the expense of Dallas Wings.

It was a close game in the first half but building a 13-point lead, the Fever never trailed again even though Dallas was able to cut the lead to just 6 points (75 – 69).

Four of the five Indiana starters scored in double-digit points. Kelsey Mitchell had 23 points, Aliyah Boston had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Natasha Howard added 11 points and a career-high-tying 16 rebounds. Both Boston and Howard also had five assists for Indiana. Aari McDonald continues to be a big factor while Caitlin Clark is sidelined; she had 12 points and 6 assists.

Paige Bueckers continues to be the leader for the Wings, she was the one who kept the game close but her 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists was not enough to get them the win. Another bad shooting game for Arike Ogunbowale, scoring 8 points but only had 1 field goal.

Full Game Highlights;

The Indiana Fever will start their three-game road trip this Sunday against the Seattle Storm. Meanwhile, Dallas will play two consecutive games against the New York Liberty, starting this Wednesday and then again this Saturday.

Indiana Fever routs Minnesota Lynx to capture 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup

The Indiana Fever are this year’s WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Champions. The Fever defeated the Minnesota Lynx even without their star point guard Caitlin Clark due to a left groin injury.

Natasha Howard was named the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup MVP, having her best game in a Fever uniform, scoring 16 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Starters Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aari McDonald scored 12 points apiece, while Sophie Cunningham added 13 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

The Lynx started the game strong, jumping to a 13-point lead in the first quarter, but the Fever tightened their defense in the second quarter and held Minnesota scoreless in the last 8 minutes of the first half and to just 7 points in the second quarter (32 – 27). In the third period, the Fever were able to extend their lead to 10 points and a 15-point lead in the final period (74 – 59).

Game highlights

The Indiana Fever’s next five games will be at home, starting this Friday against the Las Vegas Aces. The Minnesota Lynx will also play their next three games at home, starting with the Washington Mystics, also this Friday.

Indiana Fever wins over Dallas Wings without Caitlin Clark (94 – 86)

It was a statement game for the Indiana Fever as they defeat the Dallas Wings 94-86 in a hard-fought contest that showcased the Fever’s depth and determination even without their star point guard, Caitlin Clark. Missing her second straight game due to a left groin injury, Clark’s absence provided an opportunity for other Fever players to step up, and they answered the call with a collective effort that secured a crucial road win.

From the opening tip, the Fever started fast, jumping out to an impressive 33-13 lead in the first quarter. Their offense was incredibly efficient in the 1st quarter, converting all of their shots from inside the arc and shooting a remarkable 59.3% from the field for the game. Fever’s efficiency carried over to the second quarter and was able to set the tone for the game, they managed to built a 20-point lead (40 – 20) but ended the half with a 13-points lead (56 – 43).

Veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell lead the Fever with a season-high 32 points and 7 assists, Mitchell also hade a crucial three-points to recapture the lead (82 – 80) after the Wings taking lead for the first time in the game. Aliyah Boston also continued to impress, adding a strong 21 points and six rebounds, keeping her consistent presence in the paint. Natasha Howard was a force on both ends, recording a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, along with three steals. Making her first start for the Fever, Aari McDonald added 13 points and six assists, providing valuable playmaking in Clark’s absence.

The Dallas Wings is led by rookie sensation Paige Bueckers’ 27 points and six assists, lead the Wings comeback. After trailing by as many as 23 points, the Wings managed to briefly take an 80-79 lead in the fourth quarter, fueled by improved shooting and aggressive defense. However, the Fever kept their composure, responding with a decisive 9-0 run to reclaim control and seal the victory.

It’s a great win by the Fever (8-8), as they move back to a .500 record on the season before facing the Minnesota Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals this July 2nd.