The Chicago Sky looks to bounce back from a close loss to the New York Liberty in its return home for a matinee matchup against the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, June 29. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CDT.
Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 31 points on Friday as the Sky fell to New York, 80–79. Her five three-pointers, including two to open up Chicago’s scoring in the first quarter, tied her career high. Cappie Pondexter scored 20 points, tying her season high. In addition, Courtney Vandersloot recorded a career-high five steals in the game, while also adding nine points and five assists. Tina Charles led the Liberty with 21 points and 13 rebounds, good for her 10th double-double of the season. New York improved to 10-4 for the first time since 2001 and has won six games in a row for the first time since 2010.
The Sky won the first matchup against the Fever at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on June 10 by a score of 73–64. Rookie Imani Boyette had her first career double-double, pacing the Sky with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Cappie Pondexter also hit a career milestone – becoming only the seventh player in WNBA history to score 6,000 points. The Sky held Indiana to a 17 percent (4–24) shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Briann January led the Fever with 17 points, while Tamika Catchings was held to six points.
This will be the last time that Catchings will play the Sky in Chicago. Catchings, a five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, entered the 2016 season as the WNBA’s all-time leader in free throws and steals and second leader in points and rebounds. She is also the WNBA playoff career leader in points, rebounds, free throws and steals. The three-time Olympic gold medalist will also join Sky star Elena Delle Donne in pursuit of a gold medal with the rest of the U.S. team in Rio for the upcoming summer games.
The Fever is fresh off a 92-87 win against the Dallas Wings. Erlana Larkins led the Fever with a career-high 19 points. January added 15 points and a game-high seven assists. Indiana shot 57 percent from the field in the first half, marking the highest scoring half produced in the past five games for the team. In addition, the Fever was effective in the paint, scoring 44 points in the paint. The Sky will turn to Imani Boyette and Erika de Souza in hopes that a strong interior defense will force the Fever to move their offensive attack outside of the paint.
Tip-off between the Sky and Fever is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, June 29 in Rosemont. Chicago will then continue the two-game homestand when the Washington Mystics visit on Friday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. CDT. Call 866.SKY.WNBA or visit CHICAGOSKY.NET to purchase tickets today.