Kelsey Mitchell scores 36, Fever hold off Seattle Storm 90-86

Kelsey Mitchell scores 36, Fever hold off Seattle Storm 90-86

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 36 points, two shy of her franchise record, and the Indiana Fever held off the Seattle Storm 90-86 on Thursday night to win back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Indiana Fever 90, Seattle Storm 86: Box score

NaLyssa Smith had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Aliyah Boston of St. Thomas had 12 points and 10 boards for the Fever, who beat Phoenix on Sunday when Mitchell surpassed 3,000 points for her career. Grace Berger added 14 points.

Kelsey Mitchell scores 36, Fever hold off Seattle Storm 90-86

Kelsey Mitchell with the second-most points in a game in franchise history. 🙌

Jewell Loyd scored 32 points for the Storm (10-24) and a game after setting the franchise record for points in a season moved into fourth on the WNBA single-season list with 780 points. Ezi Magberor added 19 points and 13 rebounds.

Mitchell scored five points and Victoria Vivians converted a three-point play as the Fever closed the first half with a 10-2 run for a 46-38 lead.

The Fever took a 65-56 lead into the fourth quarter, but Loyd took over. She scored 16 straight Seattle points to pull the Storm within 80-78 with 3:39 to play. Magbegor tied the game at 81 with a pair of free throws at 2:16 and then Loyd hit a 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining for an 84-81 lead.

Mitchell then had eight points in a closing 9-2 run.

Kelsey Mitchell scores 36, Fever hold off Seattle Storm 90-86

Aliyah Boston breaks another Fever rookie record

One week after breaking the Fever rookie record for field goals made, Indiana No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston is quickly climbing up the ranks. With her 45th block of the season Thursday, Boston officially passed Teaira McCowan’s 2019 record of 44 blocks.

Indiana (10-24) is in a two-way tie for 10th place with the Storm.

It’s the first time Indiana has won 10 games in a season since 2019.

“Just the fact that we doubled last year’s wins, huge team win tonight,” head coach Christie Sides said. “People contributed, even those who didn’t play very many minutes.”