Mercury's Hot Start Fails Against Indiana Fever

INDIANAPOLIS – The Phoenix Mercury squandered a significant advantage from the opening quarter as they fell 107-101 against the Indiana Fever on Wednesday evening.

Tough Turnovers

The Suns began the game aggressively on both sides of the court. They tallied 30 points in the opening quarter, launching a 12-point surge over the Fever. Indiana responded with a 12-point run during the second quarter to take the lead, causing eight turnovers from Phoenix.

The Fever kept advancing against the Mercury's defense at the beginning of the second quarter. Phoenix scored 22 points in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to just two points. Nevertheless, Indiana capitalized on their free-throw opportunities—successfully converting 32 out of 38 shots—to reach three figures.

It's the first instance this season where Phoenix has conceded 100 or more points in a match.

Phoenix's leading scorer was Alyssa Thomas, who recorded 32 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists.

Fever’s Defense

The Phoenix squad committed 19 turnovers versus Indiana, an uncommon occurrence for the team. Although the Mercury managed to generate sufficient scoring to keep the contest tight, the high number of turnovers provided the Fever with consistent energy during the match.

As noted in Phoenix's post-match observations, head coach Nate Tibbetts recognized the significance of the turnovers and their impact on the game.

19 turnovers is the highest number we've had recently," he stated. "Some of them weren’t necessary... And you understand, when you lose possession in a game like this, those plays are really important.

On To The Next

The Phoenix Mercury will travel to Georgia to take on the Atlanta Dream this Friday, August 1st.

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