INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Aliyah Boston had 24 points and eight rebounds, Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points and the Indiana Fever defeated the Portland Fire 90-73 on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Fever played without star rookie Caitlin Clark, ruled out less than two hours before tipoff with a back injury. Lexie Hull added 16 points on a perfect shooting night, going 4 of 4 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free throw line, with eight rebounds. Tyasha Harris, making her first start in Clark’s place, had seven assists and two steals but went scoreless on six shots. Bridget Carleton led Portland with 16 points, and Sug Sutton scored 14 with four assists. Indiana built a 53-37 halftime lead behind 53% shooting and never trailed. The Fever outscored Portland 28-20 in the first quarter and 25-17 in the second. Indiana shot 9 of 28 from 3-point range while Portland made just 3 of 16. The Fever improved to 3-2, while the Fire dropped to 2-3. Attendance was 14,010.

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Aliyah Boston scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Indiana Fever defeated the Portland Fire 90-73 on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before an announced crowd of 14,010. Indiana improved to 3-2 with the victory, while Portland fell to 2-3. The Fever dominated from the opening tip, building a 28-20 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 53-37 at halftime. Portland never recovered from the early deficit, shooting just 3 of 16 from three-point range and committing 12 turnovers that led to easy Indiana opportunities. Boston, a 6-foot-5 center, was a force on both ends. She hit 8 of 13 field goals, including two three-pointers, and added three assists and one block in 21 minutes. Her presence in the paint anchored Indiana’s defense and provided consistent scoring inside. Kelsey Mitchell added 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including three three-pointers, and dished out four assists in 28 minutes. She was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 13 points before the break. Lexie Hull contributed 16 points and eight rebounds, hitting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Her three-point shooting stretched Portland’s defense and created spacing for Indiana’s offense. Myisha Hines-Allen came off the bench to score seven points with three rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes. Monique Billings added nine points and four rebounds, while Raven Johnson contributed eight points and four assists. For Portland, Bridget Carleton led the way with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including two three-pointers. She also grabbed three rebounds but was hampered by foul trouble, picking up her fourth personal in the third quarter. Sug Sutton scored 14 points and handed out four assists, but she shot just 6 of 14 from the field and had four turnovers. Sarah Ashlee Barker added eight points and six rebounds, while Megan Gustafson posted four points and six rebounds with two blocks. The game turned decisively in the first quarter when Indiana scored 28 points on 57.1 percent shooting. Boston’s early three-pointer at the 7:01 mark gave the Fever a 16-5 lead and forced Portland into a chase mode they never escaped. Portland’s offense struggled to find rhythm, scoring just 17 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third. The Fire shot 43.5 percent from the floor overall but managed only three three-pointers on 16 attempts, a 18.8 percent clip. Indiana’s defensive pressure forced 12 Portland turnovers, which the Fever converted into 18 points. The Fever also dominated the offensive boards, pulling down five offensive rebounds that led to second-chance points. One critical stretch came early in the second quarter when Portland had cut the deficit to single digits. Indiana responded with a 12-4 run, capped by a Kelsey Mitchell three-pointer at the 3:01 mark, pushing the lead back to 45-30. In the third quarter, Indiana outscored Portland 20-14, and Boston’s three-pointer with 1:24 remaining in the period gave the Fever their largest lead of the game, 73-37. Portland showed some fight in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points, but the deficit was too large to overcome. Sug Sutton’s jumper at the 2:18 mark cut the lead to 19, but that was as close as the Fire got. The game featured 26 personal fouls by Portland and 21 by Indiana, leading to 42 free throw attempts combined. Indiana converted 25 of 29 from the stripe, while Portland hit 16 of 17. Portland’s offense generated only eight assists on 27 made field goals, highlighting a lack of ball movement. Indiana, meanwhile, had six assists on 28 field goals but relied heavily on individual shot-making. Defensively, Portland recorded eight steals and three blocks, but Indiana’s ability to score from all three levels proved too much. The Fever shot 45.2 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from three-point range. The game marked the first meeting of the season between the two teams. They will face again Saturday, May 30, in Portland. Portland’s previous game was an 83-82 home win over Connecticut on Monday. Indiana entered Wednesday’s contest after a 89-78 home victory against Seattle on Sunday. For Portland, the loss snapped a two-game winning streak. The Fire had beaten New York 98-96 on May 12 and followed with a loss to New York before the win over Connecticut. Indiana’s win improved their home record to 2-1. The Fever had lost 104-102 in overtime to Washington on May 15 before bouncing back against Seattle. The key performance belonged to Boston, whose 24 points and eight rebounds set the tone. She scored eight points in the first quarter and added six in the second, helping Indiana build its double-digit lead that Portland could not overcome. Lexie Hull’s eight rebounds tied for the team high, and her four three-pointers were a game best. She also added one block and one assist in 22 minutes. Kelsey Mitchell’s 21 points came on efficient shooting, and she was perfect from the free throw line, hitting 6 of 6. Her four assists led Indiana’s distribution. Sug Sutton’s 14 points paced Portland’s backcourt, but she shot just 1 of 4 from three-point range. Bridget Carleton’s 16 points were a team high, but she fouled out with four fouls. The game saw several notable individual moments. Boston’s early three-pointer in the first quarter was part of a 10-0 run that put Indiana ahead for good. Lexie Hull’s three-pointer with 9:21 remaining in the fourth quarter extended Indiana’s lead to 78-57, effectively sealing the outcome. Portland’s lack of offensive rebounds, just three total, limited their second-chance scoring. Indiana’s five offensive rebounds allowed them to generate extra possessions. The Fever’s defense forced Portland into 12 turnovers, including five in the second quarter alone. Indiana converted those turnovers into 18 points, a key factor in building the halftime lead. Portland’s shooting struggles were most pronounced in the third quarter, where they scored just 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Indiana’s defense held Portland to 31.2 percent shooting in the period. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Indiana Fever 92, Portland Fire 84. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Indiana with an 80.50 percent probability to win. Indiana had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-13.5. The total score of 163 went under the over/under line of 180.5.

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Indiana Fever look to build momentum Wednesday night as they host the Portland Fire at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a WNBA matchup between two young teams finding their footing early in the season. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. EDT. Indiana (2-2) enters the contest on an upswing, coming off a 89-78 victory over the Seattle Storm on Sunday. Guard Caitlin Clark has been the catalyst for the Fever, averaging 24.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists across her last four games. In Sunday’s win, Clark recorded 21 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 blocks in 24 minutes. The Fever are looking to build consistency after a 104-102 overtime loss to the Washington Mystics on May 15, despite 32 points from Clark. Indiana also notched an 87-78 win at the Los Angeles Sparks on May 13 and dropped a 107-104 decision to the Dallas Wings on May 9. Portland (1-2) has struggled to find its rhythm, losing two of its first three games. The Fire fell 100-82 to the New York Liberty on Thursday, their second loss to the Liberty in three days. Portland’s lone win came May 12, a 98-96 narrow victory over New York. Nyadiew Puoch is a player to watch for the Fire. The forward recorded 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 31 minutes against New York on May 14, following a 5-point, 1-rebound, 2-assist outing in a loss to Chicago on May 9. Portland will need more production from its supporting cast, as center Megan Gustafson (14 points, 3 rebounds) and forward Emily Engstler (11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block) led the team in the loss to the Liberty. Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Indiana 92, Portland 84. Indiana’s schedule ahead includes games against Golden State on May 22 and May 28, followed by a road trip to Portland on May 30. The Fire will visit Toronto on May 23 before facing New York on May 25.