Fever clinch: defense turns to offense, ticket punched with D.C. blowout

Indiana 94, Washington 65 — WNBA

The Fever set the thermostat to “playoff mode” and never took a timeout. Natasha Howard led with 17, Aliyah Boston bullied the lane (12 points, 11 boards, 5 dimes), and Aerial Powers poured 15 off the bench. Shey Peddy splashed a momentum three to seize the lead for good late in the second, then matched the largest margin with another dagger.

Indiana turned defense into a fast-break assembly line—27 points off 21 Mystics turnovers—and clinched a second straight postseason berth despite a season-long injury list that would buckle most benches. The identity is clear: next-woman-up, share the sugar, swarm on the catch. With the bracket looming, the Fever’s runway lights are bright.