Game Preview: Mystics Welcome Fever to D.C. for First Meeting of Season
### Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics
**Date:** Friday, June 7
**Venue:** Capital One Arena | **Time:** 7:30 p.m. ET
**Broadcast:** ION
#### Probable Starters
**Indiana Fever (2-9)**
- **Guard:** Kelsey Mitchell (15.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.9 apg)
- **Guard:** Caitlin Clark (15.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 6.4 apg)
- **Center:** Aliyah Boston (10.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
- **Forward:** Kristy Wallace (5.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.2 apg)
- **Forward:** NaLyssa Smith (11.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
**Washington Mystics (0-10)**
- **Guard:** Ariel Atkins (12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.0 apg)
- **Guard:** Karlie Samuelson (9.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.0 apg)
- **Guard:** Julie Vanloo (8.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 5.7 apg)
- **Center:** Stefanie Dolson (7.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)
- **Forward:** Aaliyah Edwards (8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
#### Game Status Report
**Indiana:** Temi Fagbenle – Out (Left Foot)
**Washington:** Brittney Skyes – Out (Ankle), Shakira Austin – Out
### Game Preview
The Washington Mystics (0-10) will host the Indiana Fever (2-9) on Friday night at Capital One Arena for their first of four matchups this season, and their third Commissioner’s Cup game. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ION.
The Indiana Fever are coming off a demanding 11-game stretch over 20 days. In their latest game on Sunday, they lost their second Commissioner’s Cup game against the New York Liberty, 104-68. This came a day after they narrowly beat the Chicago Sky, 71-70, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
In the victory over the Sky, all five Fever starters scored in double digits. Kelsey Mitchell led with 18 points, while NaLyssa Smith added 17 points and nine rebounds. Caitlin Clark and Kristy Wallace contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Clark also grabbing eight rebounds and six assists. Aliyah Boston added 10 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high four blocks. In the game against New York, Mitchell scored a season-high 21 points, and Smith recorded 17 points and eight rebounds, marking her third consecutive game with at least 17 points and eight rebounds.
The Mystics, on the other hand, faced the undefeated Connecticut Sun on Tuesday and lost 76-59 in Uncasville, Conn. Rookie forward Aaliyah Edwards led the team with 14 points and nine rebounds, nearly achieving a double-double. Myisha Hines-Allen added 10 points and four rebounds off the bench, while Karlie Samuelson and Ariel Atkins each scored nine points with three rebounds. On Thursday, Washington nearly secured their first win of the season but fell short against the Chicago Sky, 79-71. Edwards led with a career-high double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds, along with four blocks and two assists. Chicago outscored Washington in both paint points (48-38) and bench points (45-21).
Friday’s game will feature the first WNBA regular season matchup between the Samuelson sisters. Katie Lou Samuelson of the Fever and Karlie Samuelson of the Mystics have faced each other only twice before in the WNBA. Katie Lou, in her first season with the Fever, is averaging 18.7 minutes, 4.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Karlie, in her first season with the Mystics, is averaging 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
This game will also mark the first professional meeting between the 2024 WNBA No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark and No. 6 draft pick Aaliyah Edwards. Clark and Edwards rank third and fourth, respectively, in rebounds per game among all rookies, with Clark averaging 5.1 and Edwards 4.8. They last faced each other in the NCAA Final Four on April 5, when Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes defeated Edwards’ Connecticut Huskies, 71-69.
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