Home Team: Indiana Fever
Away Team: Chicago Sky
Location: Indianapolis, IN
When is Game Time? 12 p.m. CT
Where can I stream or watch on TV? NBA TV, WNBA League Pass

The stage is set as the Chicago Sky start their 2018 season on the road against the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 19 at 12 p.m.

THE STAGE IS SET
Chicago Sky General Manager and Head Coach Amber Stocks announced the 2018 opening night roster on Thursday, May 18. In her second season with the Chicago Sky, General Manager and Head Coach Amber Stocks has assembled an opening night roster that features a blend of returning players, free-agency acquisitions, and draft picks for the team’s first matchup of the 2018 season on Saturday, May 19.

The roster features seven returning players, including 2017 WNBA All-Stars Allie Quigley and Stefanie Dolson, fourth-year player Cheyenne Parker, Kahleah Copper — who earned a starting role halfway through the 2017 season — and Adut Bulgak, who joined the team mid-way through the 2017 season.

Other notables to the lineup include Jamierra Faulkner and Alaina Coates, who both missed last season due to injury.

During free-agency, Stocks acquired three impact players: Chicago-native Linnae Harper, who will begin her rookie campaign, point guard Chelsea Hopkins, and seven-year veteran Alex Montgomery.

Completing the 12-person roster are the 2018 No.3 and No.4 overall draft picks, Diamond DeShields and Gabby Williams, respectively.

Courtney Vandersloot and Astou Ndour are slated to rejoin the team at the completion of their respective international competitions.

AGAINST THE FEVER
Tomorrow’s Eastern Conference showdown is the first official meeting of the season; the two teams matched up in preseason play on May 7 and the Sky fell by a score of 79-65.

The Fever were led by Stephanei Mavunga who tallied 18:45 minutes and shot an impressive 70 percent from the field. Former Sky player Bashaara Graves assisted with 22:17 minutes and maintained a 50 percent field goal percentage.

Chicago’s leading point-scorers were Kahleah Copper and Cheyenne Parker, who each put up 10 points. Copper shot 30.8 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the three-point line. Parker shot 50 percent from the field and had two steals.

Indiana took the season series from Chicago last year, 2-1. The Sky’s lone win came on August 4 by a score of 81-70.

Candice Dupree was a thorn in the Sky’s side last season. Dupree averaged a 52.4 percent field goal percentage and tallied 53 total points in three matchups against the Sky. Aside from Dupree, the 2018 Fever boast No. 2 overall draft pick Kelsey Mitchell who totaled 46 minutes and 17 points in the team’s two preseason games.

Saturday’s game will pose a difficult challenge for the new look Sky, but it is certainly a task they will be up for. After Saturday’s game, the Chicago Sky will head home to participate in #WNBAAllDay with a match at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 20 at its new home of Wintrust Arena. Tickets to the home opener are still available and start as low as $13. To reserve your seat, visit sky.wnba.com/tickets or by calling (866) SKY-WNBA.

2017 REWIND
With a revamped roster, a first year head coach and unexpected injuries, the 2017 Sky turned what many thought would be “a rebuilding year” into a record-breaking year in individual and team career-highs and milestones.

After getting off to a 3-12 start without Courtney Vandersloot (overseas), Allie Quigley (overseas), and Jamierra Faulkner (injury), the team turned it around and went 9-10 the remainder of the season.

In her ninth year in the league, Quigley averaged career-highs in points, assists, steals, blocked shots, field goal percentage, three point shooting, and minutes played. Quigley was named to the 2017 All-Star team and won the 2017 Three-Point Contest.

Vandersloot, in her seventh year, set new WNBA records for the highest assists average for an entire season and most points/assists double-doubles in a row. Vandersloot jumped from 24 to 16 on the list of WNBA’s all-time assist leaders.

Stefanie Dolson, was the Sky’s second leading scorer with 14.5 points per game (career-high). Dolson shot 43.7 percent from beyond the three-point line and 56.1 percent overall. Dolson earned a trip to the 2017 WNBA All-Star game and an invitation to the USA Women’s National Team training camp.

Kahleah Copper, who maintained a 46.5 percent field goal percentage, had a career-high 21 points followed by 18 points in her last two games of the 2017 campaign.

The 2017 Sky finished 12-22, just a few games back from playoff contention.

With a core of veteran players and two 2018 first-round draft picks, Stocks has the perfect mesh of veteran guidance and young talent to bring an abundance of optimism to Chicago for years to come.