Mitchell, Smith propel Fever to 97-84 win over Wings in OT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 30 points, hitting seven 3-pointers, NaLyssa Smith added a career-high 30 points and the Indiana Fever beat Dallas 97-84 in overtime on Sunday, preventing the Wings from clinching the fourth seed in the playoffs.

Mitchell sank 10 of 20 shots from the floor, including 7 of 11 from beyond the arc for Indiana (12-25). Smith made 12 of 18 shots with two 3-pointers. Aliyah Boston, the top pick in this year’s draft, pitched in with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. It was Boston’s 10th double-double.

Satou Sabally and Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points apiece to lead Dallas (20-17), which is still looking to wrap up homecourt advantage in the first round. Natasha Howard scored 15 and Crystal Dangerfield added 11 points off the bench. Teaira McCowan totaled 12 points and 10 boards for her 11th double-double this season.

Dallas took a two-possession lead in the fourth before a Mitchell 3-pointer left Indiana trailing by a point with 3:28 remaining. Mitchell connected for a sixth time from behind the arc to tie it at 78-all with 26 seconds left. Dangerfield and Ogunbowale missed shots in the final three seconds for the Wings, forcing overtime.

Mitchell opened the extra period with her final 3-pointer as Indiana scored the first eight points and never trailed again.

Dallas clinched a playoff berth with a 110-100 victory over the Fever on Friday night in Indianapolis.

Indiana will miss the playoffs for a seventh straight season, but the Fever’s 12 victories this season are more than they had in the past two seasons combined.

Mitchell set the league record for 3-pointers in the final regular-season game of her sophomore season in 2019, sinking nine in a 104-76 victory over the Connecticut Sun.

___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball