INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Indiana Fever defeated the Golden State Valkyries 90-82 on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before 16,742 fans. Indiana trailed 44-37 at halftime but outscored Golden State 29-17 in the third quarter to seize control. The Fever shot 25 of 51 from the floor and 8 of 23 from three-point range, while the Valkyries shot 22 of 54 and 6 of 17 from beyond the arc. Aliyah Boston recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana. Caitlin Clark added 18 points and seven assists. Kelsey Mitchell scored 13 points, and Lexie Hull contributed seven points and three rebounds. Sophie Cunningham and Raven Johnson combined for key bench production. Kaitlyn Chen led Golden State with 16 points, and Tiffany Hayes scored 15. Veronica Burton finished with eight points, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Gabby Williams had six points and three assists. The Valkyries committed 12 turnovers and grabbed eight offensive rebounds. Indiana improved to 4-2, while Golden State fell to 3-2. The teams will meet again May 28 in Golden State.

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — Aliyah Boston recorded a double-double and Caitlin Clark scored 18 points to lead the Indiana Fever past the Golden State Valkyries 90-82 on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse before 16,742 fans. The Fever improved to 4-2 with the victory, while the Valkyries fell to 3-2. Indiana outscored Golden State 29-17 in the third quarter, turning a one-point halftime deficit into an 11-point lead and seizing control of a game that featured seven lead changes and five ties. Boston finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, her fourth double-double of the season. Clark added seven assists and two rebounds while shooting 5 of 12 from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Kelsey Mitchell scored 13 points and made all seven of her free throw attempts for Indiana. The Valkyries were led by Kaitlyn Chen, who scored 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench. Tiffany Hayes added 15 points and two assists. Veronica Burton contributed eight points, three rebounds and two blocks. Golden State shot 22 of 54 from the floor for 40.7 percent, including 6 of 17 from 3-point range. Indiana shot 25 of 51 for 49.0 percent and 8 of 23 from deep. The Valkyries held a 37-31 rebound advantage, including eight offensive boards to Indiana’s six. Golden State committed 12 turnovers and Indiana had 14. The first quarter saw both teams trade baskets early. Clark hit a 29-foot pullup jumper with 8:07 remaining to put Indiana up 6-0. Golden State answered with a 27-foot 3-pointer from Burton at 7:06. The Valkyries took a 22-19 lead into the second quarter after Chen converted a driving layup and a free throw with 3.4 seconds left. In the second quarter, Hayes scored seven points, including a 27-foot 3-pointer at 8:53, as Golden State extended its lead to 31-23. Indiana fought back with a 12-4 run capped by Clark’s 25-foot 3-pointer with 3:31 left, tying the game at 37. Chen’s 24-foot 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds remaining gave the Valkyries a 44-37 halftime advantage. The pivotal third quarter began with Indiana scoring the first five points on a Lexie Hull 28-foot 3-pointer and a Boston jumper. Golden State briefly regained the lead at 47-46 on a Hayes 3-pointer at 6:29, but Indiana answered with a Clark 33-foot running jumper and a Myisha Hines-Allen free throw to go ahead 52-47. The Fever never trailed again. Indiana outscored Golden State 13-4 over the final 4:47 of the third quarter. Boston scored six points in that span, including a 28-foot 3-pointer with 1:05 left that pushed the lead to 65-51. Janelle Salaun’s pullup jumper with 26.3 seconds cut it to 66-53 entering the fourth. The Fever led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter. Clark’s 35-foot 3-pointer with 8:21 remaining made it 75-58. Golden State mounted a late rally, trimming the deficit to 86-78 on two Burton free throws with 2:07 left following a flagrant foul on Clark, but Indiana answered with a Boston jumper and free throws down the stretch. Key plays in the fourth quarter included Clark’s 35-foot 3-pointer, Chen’s driving layup with 2:00 remaining and Burton’s six free throws in the period. Indiana made 12 of 15 free throws overall, while Golden State hit 11 of 15. The Fever’s third-quarter surge was fueled by Boston, who scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds in the period, and Clark, who added six points and three assists. Golden State shot just 4 of 15 from the field in the third, including 1 of 5 from 3-point range. For Golden State, Hayes scored nine of her 15 points in the first half. Chen had 11 points after halftime. Burton finished 4 of 5 from the free throw line and added two steals. Indiana’s bench contributed 22 points, led by Sophie Cunningham’s eight points and four rebounds. Lexie Hull scored seven points with three rebounds and two assists. Monique Billings had two points and three rebounds. The Valkyries’ previous game was an 87-70 road win at New York on May 21. Indiana entered after a 90-73 home victory over Portland on May 20. The most important part of the game occurred in the third quarter when Indiana outscored Golden State by 12 points. The Fever used a 13-4 run capped by Boston’s 3-pointer to turn a one-point deficit into a 14-point lead. Golden State never recovered, as Indiana’s defense held the Valkyries to 17 points in the period, their lowest output in any quarter. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Indiana 92, Golden State 85. Interstat’s ELO system gave Indiana a 72.20 percent probability to win. Indiana was a 7.5-point favorite, and the total of 172 points went over the over-under line of 167.5.

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Indiana Fever will host the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with both teams seeking to build momentum early in the WNBA season. Indiana (3-2) is coming off a 90-73 victory over Portland on Wednesday, led by center Aliyah Boston’s 24-point, eight-rebound performance. Boston, who also had three assists and a block in 21 minutes, has been a consistent force. In her past five games, she has posted double-digit scoring three times, including a 23-point outing in a narrow loss to Dallas on May 9. The Fever have won two straight after an overtime setback against Washington on May 15. Golden State (3-1) enters on a high note after a dominant 87-70 road win over New York on Thursday. The Valkyries have won three of four, including back-to-back victories over Phoenix and Seattle before a loss to Chicago on May 13. Forward Kiah Stokes has been a key contributor, particularly on the glass and defensively. In the loss to Chicago, she logged 29 minutes, scoring seven points with 11 rebounds and five blocks. In a win over Seattle on May 8, Stokes had six points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 24 minutes. The matchup features two of the league’s rising stars. For Indiana, Boston is the focal point in the post, averaging 15 points and 5.6 rebounds over her last four games. For Golden State, Stokes provides interior toughness and shot-blocking, averaging 4.7 points and 6 rebounds per game this season. Friday’s game also carries playoff positioning implications. According to Interstat’s game simulator, the Fever are projected to win 92-85. Interstat’s ELO system gives Indiana a 72.2 percent probability of victory. Indiana is a 7.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 167.5. The Fever will look to extend their winning streak before a two-game road trip against Golden State and Portland. The Valkyries, after this contest, return home to face Connecticut on Monday, then host Indiana again on May 28. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EDT.