Kelsey Mitchell recorded a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting to lead the Indiana Fever to a 101-95 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday. She scored 16 points in the first quarter alone to get the Fever rolling and help them extend their winning streak to five.
It was Mitchell’s 20th straight game with at least 20 points, tying A’ja Wilson’s record for the longest 20-point streak in the WNBA.
However, Mitchell was not able to finish the game. She left in the third quarter and did not return, sparking concerns about her condition.
After the game, head coach Stephanie White revealed that Mitchell did not suffer any injury and instead “just got overheated” inside Scotiabank Arena. The Fever tactician also noted that it was the second straight game in which they had to play in a hot environment.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Caitlin Clark, who finished with 24 points and seven assists in the win, also addressed Mitchell’s exit following Indiana’s win. Similar to White, she pointed out how hot it was in the arena.
“Maybe if Canada had air conditioning, that would be helpful,” Clark told Holly Rowe of ESPN in her postgame interview. “It’s a million degrees in here. Hopefully she’ll be okay, but we certainly missed her.”
Beyond what happened to Mitchell because of the arena conditions, though, Clark doesn’t seem to have other issues with the game. In fact, she even showed appreciation for the fans who showed up and made it extra special.
The Fever and Tempo played in a sold-out arena, with 19,300 fans attending to watch the contest.
“It’s been great. The fans were great tonight. It’s really cool to see how much women’s basketball has grown,” Clark added. “Really fun for my first time in Canada, and certainly excited to come back.”
It remains to be seen if Mitchell will be available to play against the Dallas Wings on Thursday. Considering that the Fever will travel to Texas and won’t have much rest, it won’t be surprising if they remain cautious about the superstar scorer’s status.
