Aces look to complete sweep against Caitlin Clark, Fever
ACES GAME DAY
Who: Aces at Indiana Fever
When: 4:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
TV: CBS Sports, SSSEN
Radio: KKGK (1340 AM, 98.9 FM)
Line: Aces -5; total 176½
About the Aces (23-13): The Aces have won five of their past six games and are 3-0 against the Fever this season. The most recent victory over Indiana was Wednesday. A’ja Wilson broke the WNBA’s all-time record for points in a season in a 86-75 win, which marked her return from an ankle injury that kept her out of a 75-71 loss to the Liberty on Sunday.
With four regular-season games left, Wilson is 44 points from accomplishing the league’s first season with 1,000 points. She leads the league in scoring (27.3 ppg), blocks (2.7 per game) and efficiency rating (34.4) this season.
Friday is the Aces’ final game of a four-game road trip before the team returns to Michelob Ultra Arena on Sunday to face the Connecticut Sun. Before the stretch of away games, the Aces boasted about a “different energy” that accompanied better performances following a 2-4 skid in the team’s return from the Olympic break.
The question now is whether the Aces, in the No. 4 spot, can land the third seed. They are three games behind the Sun and have the tiebreaker over them.
With Wilson as the MVP favorite, Tiffany Hayes is making a campaign for Sixth Player of the Year, averaging 9.3 points off the bench.
Starters Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are averaging 17.8 and 15.9 points, respectively.
Point guard Chelsea Gray is on a positive trajectory after missing the first 12 games with a lower left leg injury. She has scored in double figures in three of the past five games.
About the Fever (19-18): Indiana had a rough start to the season as Rookie of the Year favorite Caitlin Clark adjusted to the WNBA.
But with a bit of rest, the Fever came out of the break as one of the hottest teams in the league, losing only to the Lynx and Aces in their return.
The Aces’ defense limited Clark and Aliyah Boston on Wednesday. Boston had scored at least 20 points in her past three outings but had six against the Aces. Clark scored 16.
The Fever have clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 and are seeded sixth with six games remaining.
Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.
