Indiana Fever Women — Washington Mystics Women: 77:93, NBA Women

Washington Mystics beat Indiana Fever 93 to 77 in the Women's NBA on Saturday evening, a result that shifted the balance between two sides who had grown closer all season.

We had given the hosts the edge, 56 per cent confidence for Indiana, but the game broke differently. The visitors came in with a sharper passing rhythm and by then the Fever were chasing shadows. Washington moved the ball with 27 assists against 13 at the other end, and here's the thing — that disparity showed in the scoreboard long before the fourth quarter.

The biggest lead Washington built was 26 points, a margin that speaks to how the home side lost their structure. Fever managed only six successful three-pointers from 28 attempts, while the visitors hit nine from 18. Indiana still pushed the offensive glass with 11 rebounds and scored 14 second-chance points, but those efforts went nowhere when the defense was already stretched.

Statistically the game maps onto that lead. Washington out-rebounded their hosts 37 to 30, won the paint battle 50 to 38, and kept their turnovers to 16 against Indiana's 13. The Fever had more fast-break points at 17 to 7, but that advantage meant little when Washington controlled the pace in the half-court sets. To be fair, Indiana did take the ball away nine times, yet those steals did not translate into stops.

Both teams arrive at this stage with 41 games played. Indiana sit second with 27 wins and 14 losses, while Washington sit fourth with 25 wins and 16 defeats. The gap between them has narrowed, but Saturday's result showed the visitors still have the sharper edge when it matters.