PHOENIX (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell hit a layup with 10.1 seconds left to finish with 29 points and the Indiana Fever held on for a 92-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night.
The teams put two testy games in Indianapolis last month behind them, trading baskets instead of bumps and barbs.
Mitchell put Indiana (13-9) up 90-89 with her layup and Sophie Cunningham added two free throws to secure the win with Caitlin Clark on the bench in street clothes.
Aliyah Boston had 21 points after being held out of a 106-92 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night.
Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper had 22 points each to lead the Mercury (8-15).
Clark didn't play in the back-to-back to rest a lingering back injury, costing her a chance to play against the Mercury for the first time since an altercation with Thomas triggered a firestorm of opinions about the rising WNBA star.
Thomas received a one-game suspension for landing fist-down on Clark’s neck during the June 24 game, leading to death threats and racial slurs on social media. That came two days after Cunningham, who played six seasons in Phoenix, had a lengthy finger-pointing episode with DeWanna Bonner.
The teams' third meeting had no throat punches or finger pointing, only good shooting.
Indiana shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range to lead by four in the first quarter. Phoenix shot 21 of 38 overall and 8 of 14 from 3 to lead 53-47 at halftime.
Phoenix quickly stretched the lead to 10 in the third quarter, but Indiana went on a 13-0 run to go up 62-59 before the teams traded runs in the fourth.
Fever: At Las Vegas on Sunday.
Mercury: At Las Vegas on Saturday.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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