The Indiana Fever defeated the Seattle Storm 78-74 on Sunday, Aug. 3, receiving multiple strong performances despite being without All-Star guard Caitlin Clark for the seventh consecutive game because of a right groin injury.
Natasha Howard led the way for the Fever with a game-high 21 points, also adding five rebounds and five assists. Sophie Cunningham scored a season-high 17 points with four 3-pointers, and Aliyah Boston secured a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Nneka Ogwumike led the Storm with 16 points, Skylar Diggins tallied 13 points with four assists, and Gabby Williams had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Despite the continued absence of Clark, the Fever have put together a five-game winning streak, moving to 17-12 on the season and passing the Storm (16-13) in the standings.
Here’s a recap of the game, with quarter-by-quarter updates.
Fever hang on for 78-74 win over Storm
Despite a late push from the Storm, the Fever holds on for a 77-74 win behind Natasha Howard’s 21 points, five rebounds and five assists performance. Aliyah Boston added 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Sophie Cunningham scored a season-high 17 points.
Indiana moves to 17-12 on the season after its road win.
Seattle Storm pull within four points after third quarter
Seattle outscores Indiana 20-16 in the third quarter, to make its deficit 58-54 heading into the final period.
Sophie Cunningham had a big quarter for the Fever, cashing in three 3-pointers to raise her points total to a season-high 17 on the afternoon. Natasha Howard also has 17 points.
Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike lead the Storm with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Fever lead Storm 42-34 at halftime
Indiana outscores Seattle 25-18 in the second quarter, as Natasha Howard leads all scorers with 12 points. Guard Sophie Cunningham has 10 points, including two 3-pointers in the second period.
Fever are getting contributions from their entire roster early.
Fever lead Storm 17-16 after first quarter
The Fever lead the Storm 17-16 after the first quarter, despite Caitlin Clark being out of the lineup as she still recovers from a groin injury. Natasha Howard leads all scorers with six points on 3-of-3 shooting, picking up the slack from Kelsey Mitchell, one of Indiana’s top scorers who shot 0 for 6 from the field in the first period.
What time is Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm?
The Seattle Storm will host the Indiana Fever at 3 p.m. ET (Noon PT) on Sunday, Aug. 3 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm: TV, stream
Time: 3 p.m. ET (Noon PT)
Location: Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle)
TV channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN+
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.