Fever aim to close out home schedule with win vs. Stars (Sep 1, 2017)
The Indiana Fever will try to win their final home game of the regular season when they host the San Antonio Stars on Saturday evening.
Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention and are looking to snap lengthy losing streaks. This marks the third and final meeting between the teams.
Indiana (9-24) has dropped seven games in a row, including an 80-69 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday night. The Fever are 6-10 at home and 3-14 on the road.
San Antonio (7-26) has lost four straight games and is the only team in the WNBA with a worse record than the Fever. The Stars will play on short rest after an 81-69 loss against the New York Liberty on the road Friday night.
Although this season has not gone well for the Stars, they are 2-0 against the Fever and have an opportunity to complete a series sweep. San Antonio is 1-15 on the road this season, with its only win away from home coming July 12 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"They're a young team, and I think over the course of the season, they're starting to find their way," Fever coach Pokey Chatman told the team's official website. "They battled with injuries, people never talked about that, but they're really starting to find an identity. They're playing with a little more pace."
Indiana is let in scoring by veteran forward Candice Dupree, who is averaging 14.9 points this season. Dupree also is averaging 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
Guard Erica Wheeler is next on the Fever with an average of 11.7 points per game. However, the rest of the Fever's backcourt has been depleted by injuries as Shenise Johnson, Tiffany Mitchell and Briann January all are sidelined.
San Antonio has two players averaging in double digits. Guard Kayla McBride has posted 14.9 points per game, and center Isabelle Harrison is averaging 11.5 points.
The game marks the regular-series finale for both teams.
"We know it's at the end of the season and everybody's tired," McBride told the team's official website. "We need to lock in this (final) week and get some more wins."
Chatman said she was grateful to Fever fans for their loyalty.
"They're so supportive," Chatman said. "I think about Hurricane Harvey relief and the donations they made. ... It tells you a lot about the support that's been in Indiana for years."
