Lexie Hull candidly shared that the Indiana Fever opted not to review film as a team after their largest defeat of the young WNBA season, despite being only five games in. With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the first time due to a left quad strain, the Fever fell 83-77 to the Washington Mystics on the road. Though the scoreline showed a six-point loss, it marked their biggest margin of defeat and their second consecutive loss.
When asked about insights from a typical post-game film session, Hull told reporters, “We’ve got plenty of room to improve, but we didn’t go over the film from yesterday. We’re moving on. With a quick turnaround tomorrow, we’re focusing on getting back to our style of play on both ends. We’re ready to move forward.”
Rather than a full team film review, head coach Stephanie White explained that players would watch the footage individually or in small groups. The Fever face the Connecticut Sun, White’s former team, in a home game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse two days later. White emphasized growth, stating, “We need to improve and avoid repeating mistakes. Whether it’s defensive positioning, screening, or passing to shooters, it’s about the details.”
Hull contributed nine points and posted a 97 defensive rating, ranking sixth among the nine Fever players with significant minutes. Despite missing the game, Clark remains the team’s leader in popularity, scoring, assists, and steals, with her 9.3 assists per game topping the WNBA.
Sydney Colson started in Clark’s absence, shooting 2-of-7 for four points, with five fouls, three turnovers, and no made threes in 31 minutes. While Colson ranks third on the team in defensive rating at 82.1, behind Timpson and Brianna Turner, her 0.67 assist-to-turnover ratio is among the team’s worst, and her 87.3 offensive rating is the lowest on the Fever.
The Mystics capitalized, with Brittney Sykes scoring 21 points and Rookie of the Year candidate Sonia Citron contributing, while Shakira Austin and Aaliyah Edwards combined for 17 bench points, outscoring any Fever player except Dewanna Bonner. Aliyah Boston led Indiana in rebounding for the fourth time in five games and was seen putting in extra one-on-one work post-game to prepare for the Sun. Bonner scored a season-high 21 points, but without Clark’s playmaking, speed, and three-point threat, the Fever struggled.
The loss dropped Indiana to 2-3, following a one-point loss to Atlanta, where Clark scored 27, and a 90-88 defeat to the champion Liberty, where she had 18 points and 10 assists.
SOURCE: TheMirror
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