Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Sky will face the Indiana Fever for the final time this season on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The matchup marks the fourth meeting between the teams this year, with Indiana having won their most recent contest on August 9 by a score of 92-70.

Indiana currently holds the eighth and final playoff position but has not yet secured a postseason spot. A victory would strengthen their chances, while the Sky hope to hinder Indiana's path and secure their own 11th win of the season.

In their last encounter, Chicago struggled offensively, with only Rachel Banham and rookie Maddy Westbeld scoring in double figures. Banham finished with 11 points and three assists, while Westbeld recorded a career-high 10 points along with six rebounds.

Chicago’s offense has shown improvement over August, highlighted by an 88-point effort against the Connecticut Sun where five players reached double-digit scoring. The team tends to perform best when establishing momentum early in games against Indiana.

Controlling play inside will be crucial for Chicago after they managed just 26 points in the paint during their previous game against Indiana. Forwards Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams combined for only 14 points but were productive on the boards, collecting 12 and eight rebounds respectively. Continued rebounding success could lead to more efficient offense for the Sky.

The Fever shot efficiently at home in their last meeting, converting 47.1% from the field and nearly 40% from beyond the arc. Chicago’s defense has recently held opponents below their typical scoring averages and will look to disrupt Indiana’s offensive rhythm.

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 26 points and eight assists in that game. “Defensively, it will be important to contain Mitchell, who averages 20.5 points per game and controls most of the Fever’s offense,” according to team sources.

Lexie Hull contributed 17 points and three assists for Indiana, Sophie Cunningham added 16 points, while Aliyah Boston scored 15 but was limited to four rebounds.

Turnover management was a positive for Chicago last time out as they committed only 11 turnovers; maintaining ball control is expected to be key if they are to earn a win over Indiana.

Bench production could also factor into Friday’s outcome. “Chicago was able to find success in the last game against Indiana when they had big performances by their bench. The Sky outscored the Fever’s bench 30-17,” team officials noted. Kia Nurse has been averaging double figures off the bench recently and remains a threat from long range.

Elizabeth Williams is coming off a strong performance with ten points off the bench while Westbeld showed she can match up well against Indiana on both ends of the floor.

“Look for different players from the Sky to score, and the key is getting Nurse involved from three-point range. Chicago has shown that on any given night a player can step up and be a threat on offense,” according to team representatives.