Back during the spring when Caitlin Clark broke out and became a viral national sensation, this game was marked as a marquee matchup. Nothing has happened to change that status, and if anything the Sun's visit to Indiana to take on the Fever has become more important than ever.
Both teams are involved in heated playoff position battles, albeit in different segments of the playoff chase. Connecticut is chasing the New York Liberty at the top of the standings, while the Fever are looking to move up and beat out the Mercury to get a higher seed. And Clark's rising star has ascended even further, which hardly seems possible, but this game will likely get as much national attention as any WNBA game to date this season.
Game Details
Fixture: Connecticut Sun @ Indiana Fever
Date and Time: August 28, 2024 @ 7:00 PM EST
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Connecticut Sun Team Review
The Sun are coming off a big road win in New York against the Liberty that pulled them to within 2.5 games prior to last night's Liberty victory against the Mercury in Phoenix. They'll have a tough time catching New York given that the number of regular season games is dwindling, but the Sun also have to worry about the Minnesota Lynx, who are right on their heels in the playoff chase.
Connecticut's win over New York was a tough, gritty affair where defense was king. The Sun held off several Liberty runs in the second half, and they forced New York into an uncharacteristic 18 turnovers.
The Sun features a balanced scoring attack led by DeWanna Bonner at 16.2 points per game. Alyssa Thomas is the floor leader and primary rebounder, with 7.9 assists and 9.1 rebounds per game, respectively. Don't discount the contributions of new Phoenix pickup Marina Mabry, who was a key figure in the New York with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Indiana Fever Team Review
The Fever are battling for playoff seeding in a different bracket segment, but that doesn't make them any less formidable at the moment. Caitlin Clark's game has been growing by leaps and bounds lately, and Kelsey Mitchell is becoming a genuine sharpshooter who's a legitimate threat to get 25+ points on a given night now that Clark knows her favorite spots on the floor.
Aliyah Boston is the third figure in the Fever's big three, and she's got serious game, too. She and Clark have become deadly in the pick and roll, plus Boston anchors the boards and is a genuine scoring threat as well.
Indiana is primed to challenge Phoenix for the sixth spot in the playoff standings, and this is a big week for them. They put Atlanta largely in the rearview with a close road win on Monday night, and they also have an important road game against Chicago, which is holding down the seventh slot for the moment but fading fast as far as the Fever are concerned.
Who to Watch
Connecticut Sun
Bonner and Dejonai Carrington tend to get most of the attention in the Connecticut lineup, but we'll go with Mabry, whose ability to help space the floor has helped energize the Sun offense of late. The Sun head back to Washington after this one for a date with the Mystics, and a road victory here would help them keep the Liberty within range.
Indiana Fever
Clark is always the player to watch with the Fever these days, but we'll pay specific attention to her turnover numbers and how she reacts to Connecticut's tough defense, not to mention the way that game gets called on Indy's home floor.
Keep an eye on all the national media attention if you pay attention to such things, as this game will attract a ton of attention across the sports landscape and beyond.
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