Indiana Fever Women — Minnesota Lynx Women: 96:77, NBA Women

The Indiana Fever ended the Minnesota Lynx's momentum with a convincing 96-77 victory in the WNBA on 23 September. The hosts controlled the game from early on, building a 29-point advantage at one stage before seeing out the contest comfortably. The result moved the Fever within striking distance of the top spot while handing the leaders a rare setback.

Indiana's efficiency was striking. They converted 32 field goals from 63 attempts and added 23 successful free throws to build an insurmountable lead. The Lynx shot 27 from 72 in the field and relied heavily on three-pointers, making 11 from 33 attempts but finding little rhythm inside. The Fever's 27 assists against Minnesota's 23 showed a more connected offensive approach, while 21 points off turnovers told their own story.

Defensively, Indiana made life difficult. They recorded 11 steals to Minnesota's five and limited the visitors to just 30 points in the paint despite the Lynx having more offensive rebounds. The Fever averaged 18 fast-break points compared to eight for the visitors, turning defensive stops into easy scoring opportunities. Minnesota's 17 turnovers proved costly, especially when Indiana converted them into 21 points.

Standings implications are immediate. The Fever sit second with 28 wins from 43 games, three behind the Lynx who remain first with 32 victories. Both sides have played the same number of matches, so this result tightens the race at the summit. Indiana's recent form had been mixed, including a 77-93 loss to Washington on 20 September, but this performance suggested they can compete with anyone in the conference.

Our preview had backed the visitors at 50 per cent confidence, but the game unraveled differently than expected. Indiana's defensive intensity and second-quarter surge proved decisive, while Minnesota struggled to find answers after falling behind early. The leaders will need to respond quickly with fewer games remaining.