​The Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury renew their heated WNBA rivalry tonight, July 9, as both teams prepare for another showdown. The Fever stand at 12-9, while the Mercury sit at 8-14, and their earlier meetings in Indianapolis on June 22 and June 24 generated both passion and controversy. The series split those two games but sparked a national discussion about player conduct. In the first game, a confrontation between Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner led to five technical fouls. Two nights later, Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas appeared to place her fist on Clark’s throat during a loose-ball scramble, a moment that prompted a delayed suspension and intensified the controversy surrounding the two programs.
For Indiana, Kelsey Mitchell is scoring at a 22.2-point clip while shooting 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, and Aliyah Boston adds 17.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and a 45.1 percent mark from three-point range. The Fever recently fell to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, July 8. Clark, averaging 20.5 points and 7.9 assists per game and contributing 4.0 rebounds, is listed as out, though Boston is available after missing Wednesday’s game due to a lower-leg issue. In Phoenix, Kahleah Copper is contributing 20.8 points per game, while Alyah Thomas averages 14.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per contest.
Fans will receive score updates, statistics, and highlights throughout the game, with refreshes encouraged for the latest information. If you’re looking to attend, Fever tickets can be found on StubHub. The matchup is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9, at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix and will be streamed on Prime Video.
Indiana’s Caitlin Clark sits out this game, but Aliyah Boston, who did not play on Wednesday, is available. Sophie Cunningham had pregame back issues on Wednesday but did play 11 minutes with limited effectiveness. For Phoenix, Natasha Mack (foot) and Sami Whitcomb (knee) were unavailable in their most recent contest.
Event details from the July 8 game in Los Angeles show a Fever roster featuring Kelsey Mitchell, Myisha Hines-Allen, Raven Johnson, Sophie Cunningham, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, Damiris Dantas, Grace VanSlooten, Makayla Timpson, Caitlin Clark, Bree Hall, Monique Billings, and Ty Harris May. Clark’s season averages stand at 20.5 points, 7.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 42.6% from the field, 33.6% from three, and 85.4% from the free-throw line.
The Fever entered May/June on a high note with a 84-68 win over the Las Vegas Aces on July 5, then prepare to face the Mercury at 10 p.m. ET on July 9 on Prime Video. The team’s schedule continues with a trip to the Las Vegas Aces on July 12 at 9 p.m. and a home game against the Golden State Valkyries on July 15 at 8 p.m., broadcast on USA Network. Other upcoming dates include a July 28 trip to the Seattle Storm at 9:30 p.m. on ESPNews, an August 2 game at Minnesota at 1 p.m. on ABC, and an August 6 home tilt against the Las Vegas Aces at 7 p.m. on Prime Video, followed by an August 8 visit to Chicago to play the Sky at 3 p.m. on ABC, and an August 11 game against the New York Liberty at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The Fever are also set to face the Toronto Tempo on August 18 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.