​Things were looking bright for the Phoenix Mercury with five minutes to go against the Indiana Fever on Thursday, July 9, but the late-stage errors began to mount. The Mercury had weathered several error-filled stretches in the second half, yet those costly mistakes in the final minutes gave Indiana the opening it needed to regain momentum. The lead, which had been hovering around 10 points, started to evaporate when Mercury point guard Monique Akoa Makani lost possession to Fever guard Sophie Cunningham with one minute left. Cunningham sprinted down the floor, with Alyssa Thomas in pursuit, but a foul by Thomas gave Indiana a chance to reset. Ty Harris then delivered a game-tying jumper with 44.5 seconds remaining. From there, the teams traded baskets until Kahleah Copper was called for a loose-ball foul with 4.0 seconds on the clock, sending Cunningham to the line for two successful free throws that sealed the 92-89 defeat.
“Kah had a really good game in terms of downhill drives and getting into those actions,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “I thought we had a couple of careless, silly turnovers in that second half that just hurt us. We didn’t have that many tonight, but they were big ones.”
Even with Caitlin Clark out for load management, the Mercury (8-15) struggled to defend Indiana’s 3-point shooting early, as the Fever racked up five first-quarter triples and shot 6-of-10 (60%) overall in the opening period to build a four-point edge by the end of the frame. Copper’s 10-point burst in the second quarter helped Phoenix claw back and briefly take the lead with 1:54 left before halftime. The Mercury led by six at the break, but a fourth-quarter sequence of four turnovers contributed to a 13-0 Fever run that swung the momentum in Indiana’s favor and deflated Phoenix’s energy.
There were positive moments throughout the second half, including an 11-0 burst to begin the fourth, yet the Mercury’s defense could not sustain the surge, allowing Indiana to respond with significant runs of its own. Of Indiana’s 25 points off turnovers, 14 came after halftime. On the stat sheet, Thomas finished with 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Copper added 22 points. Marta Suarez, promoted from a development contract to a seven-day deal, delivered a career performance with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. The Mercury’s bench made a tangible impact, contributing 26 points compared to the Fever’s 15, underscoring the team’s depth.
Indiana was led by Kelsey Mitchell with 29 points and eight assists, and Aliyah Boston added 21 points with nine rebounds. For Phoenix, Sami Whitcomb returned from a left knee injury that had sidelined her for the first 22 games of the season, making her season debut by logging 11 minutes, posting two points and adding four rebounds. Her return marks a welcome veteran presence as Phoenix navigates through a stretch marked by turnovers, an area that has plagued the Mercury in recent games and remains a focal point for improvement.
In the end, Phoenix’s turnover trouble, particularly in the second half and late in the fourth, hurt them when it mattered most. The 92-89 defeat adds to the frustration of a campaign defined by close losses and inconsistent defense, with the team searching for a more sustainable rhythm as they continue to integrate Whitcomb and other contributors into a more cohesive rotation. As the Mercury look ahead, tightening ball security, sustaining defensive intensity, and converting late opportunities will be essential to turning these tight contests into positive results.