Indiana Fever vs Minnesota Lynx Match Player Stats
The indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats from the September 25, 2026 regular-season finale tell a much deeper story than the 86-66 final score alone. Minnesota built a huge first-half advantage, shot efficiently from the field, created 28 assists, and received major scoring contributions from Kayla McBride and Natasha Howard. Indiana, meanwhile, struggled to generate efficient offense and fell behind before producing a stronger fourth-quarter response.
The game was played at Target Center in Minneapolis, with an announced attendance of 15,221. Minnesota finished the regular season at 33-11, while Indiana closed at 28-16. The WNBA’s official game record confirms the 86-66 result and the 13-19-9-25 scoring sequence for Indiana against Minnesota’s 32-30-14-10 progression.
There is also an important date detail for readers checking different databases. The WNBA page identifies the contest in parts of its record as Thursday, September 24, while its game information lists Friday, September 25 at 12:00 AM. This reflects the way the game is timestamped across the league’s systems. For this article, the game is referred to as the September 25 finale, consistent with the supplied match information and the WNBA game listing.
Game Overview
The matchup was the third meeting between the Fever and Lynx during the 2026 regular season. Minnesota entered the game with a 32-11 record, while Indiana came in at 28-15 according to the supplied pregame context. The final result moved the Lynx to 33-11 and left the Fever at 28-16.
Minnesota had already secured the top seed, but the game still carried significance as a final test before the playoffs. Indiana also had postseason positioning at stake.
The final score was:
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Indiana Fever | 13 | 19 | 9 | 25 | 66 |
| Minnesota Lynx | 32 | 30 | 14 | 10 | 86 |
The most important number may be the halftime margin.
Minnesota led 62-32 after two quarters.
That 30-point halftime advantage meant the fourth-quarter improvement from Indiana could not change the outcome. Instead, the final period became more useful as an indicator of Indiana’s ability to compete after making adjustments than as a realistic comeback opportunity.
The WNBA’s official game page records no lead changes and no ties. Minnesota established control early and never gave it back.
indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats: Key Performers
The most useful way to read player statistics is not simply to identify the highest scorer. A strong box-score analysis also considers shooting efficiency, playmaking, defensive impact, team context, and how the player’s production affected the flow of the game.
Kayla McBride leads Minnesota with 22 points
Kayla McBride was Minnesota’s leading scorer with 22 points.
According to the Associated Press recap carried on the WNBA’s official game page, McBride made six of her 10 three-point attempts. That means she alone converted six triples while Indiana made only five three-pointers as an entire team.
That comparison is one of the clearest explanations for the final margin.
McBride did not simply score 22 points. She provided high-value perimeter scoring at a time when Minnesota was building its early lead. Six made threes from 10 attempts represent a 60 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc.
Her shooting forced Indiana to respect the perimeter and opened space for Minnesota’s other offensive options.
Natasha Howard adds 21 points
Natasha Howard finished with 21 points, giving Minnesota two players above the 20-point mark.
The combination of McBride’s perimeter shooting and Howard’s scoring gave the Lynx balance. Indiana could not focus exclusively on stopping one type of offensive action.
This matters because Minnesota’s offense was not dependent on a single player creating every shot.
The Lynx finished with 33 made field goals and 28 assists. That is an unusually strong relationship between made baskets and assisted baskets. It indicates that a large portion of Minnesota’s scoring came through coordinated offense rather than repeated isolation possessions.
Courtney Williams records 10 assists
Courtney Williams was one of the most important statistical players even though she was not Minnesota’s leading scorer.
She finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists, according to the AP game recap.
The 10 assists stand out because Indiana finished the game with only 13 team assists.
That creates a significant playmaking contrast:
- Courtney Williams: 10 assists
- Minnesota team: 28 assists
- Indiana team: 13 assists
Williams’ passing was part of a broader Minnesota advantage in ball movement.
For readers studying the player statistics, this is an important reminder that points do not tell the entire story. A player can have a major influence on a game through shot creation for teammates without leading the scoring column.
Kelsey Mitchell leads Indiana with 10 points
Kelsey Mitchell was Indiana’s leading scorer with 10 points.
That figure is especially notable because Mitchell entered the game as one of Indiana’s primary scoring options. The WNBA’s pregame information had Mitchell leading the Fever at 25.0 points per game, with Caitlin Clark at 22.8 and Aliyah Boston at 16.4.
Holding a high-volume scorer to 10 points dramatically changes Indiana’s offensive ceiling.
The issue was not simply that Mitchell scored below her usual level. Indiana also struggled as a team to make outside shots, finishing 5-for-32 from three-point range.
That made it difficult for the Fever to recover once Minnesota built its early advantage.
Caitlin Clark finishes with two points
Caitlin Clark had a particularly difficult shooting night.
The AP recap reported that Clark scored two points while shooting 1-for-12 from the field, a season-low scoring total.
For a player who entered the game averaging more than 20 points per contest, that is a major statistical departure from her normal offensive production.
However, one poor scoring game should be interpreted within its game context.
Minnesota built its lead quickly. Indiana trailed by 19 points after the opening quarter and 30 at halftime. Once a game develops in that direction, player usage, defensive pressure, shot selection, and rotation patterns can all change.
The key takeaway is therefore not simply that Clark struggled. It is that Indiana had very little margin for error because multiple primary offensive contributors were unable to generate efficient scoring at the same time.
Team Shooting Explains Much of the Result
The shooting numbers provide one of the strongest explanations for the final score.
Based on the supplied game data, Indiana went 25-for-73 from the field, while Minnesota went 33-for-75.
That creates the following comparison:
| Shooting category | Indiana | Minnesota |
| Field goals | 25/73 | 33/75 |
| Field-goal percentage | 34% | 44% |
| Three-pointers | 5/32 | 15/40 |
| Three-point percentage | 16% | 38% |
| Free throws | 11/20 | 5/6 |
| Free-throw percentage | 55% | 83% |
The field-goal difference is significant.
Minnesota attempted only two more field goals but made eight more.
That is a substantial efficiency advantage without requiring a major difference in shot volume.
The three-point gap was even more important.
Minnesota made 15 three-pointers.
Indiana made five.
That is a 10-three difference.
At three points per make, those additional conversions account for 30 points of scoring value before considering any other offensive differences.
Minnesota did not need to dominate every statistical category. Its superior shooting efficiency created a large scoring advantage.
The Three-Point Battle Was Decisive
The most striking shooting statistic from the game is Minnesota’s 15-for-40 performance from three-point range.
A 37.5 percent three-point rate is productive on that volume.
Indiana, by contrast, went 5-for-32, or approximately 15.6 percent.
The difference is not just percentage based.
Minnesota took eight more three-point attempts and made 10 more.
That combination of volume and efficiency created a major scoring gap.
This is one reason raw field-goal percentage alone does not completely explain modern basketball games. Three-point attempts carry greater scoring value, so a team that generates and converts quality perimeter opportunities can build a large advantage quickly.
McBride’s six made threes were particularly important.
Her six makes represented:
- 40 percent of Minnesota’s 15 made threes
- More made threes than Indiana made as a team
- 18 points from three-point shooting alone
That is a major offensive contribution from one player.
The First Half Changed the Game
The quarter-by-quarter numbers make the game easy to understand.
Minnesota scored 32 points in the first quarter.
Indiana scored 13.
The 19-point opening-quarter difference was already enough to put the Fever in a difficult position.
Minnesota then added another 30 points in the second quarter.
Indiana scored 19.
At halftime:
- Minnesota: 62
- Indiana: 32
- Halftime margin: 30 points
The game was effectively shaped during those first 20 minutes.
The third quarter was also important because Indiana could not immediately cut into the deficit.
Minnesota scored 14.
Indiana scored only nine.
That meant the Lynx entered the fourth quarter with a 35-point advantage at 76-41.
The Fever then won the fourth quarter 25-10, but that response came after Minnesota had already created an overwhelming lead.
This is a useful example of why quarter-by-quarter statistics can be more informative than a final score alone.
A 20-point final margin might suggest a competitive game that separated late.
This was not that type of contest.
Minnesota controlled the opening three quarters before Indiana improved in the final period.
Why the Assist Numbers Matter
Minnesota finished with 28 assists compared with 13 for Indiana.
That is a 15-assist difference.
The gap suggests a substantial difference in offensive organization.
Assists do not perfectly measure ball movement, because some high-quality offensive possessions end with unassisted shots. However, a 28-to-13 advantage is large enough to indicate that Minnesota consistently created scoring opportunities for teammates.
Courtney Williams’ 10 assists were central to that.
A useful way to interpret the number is to compare it with the team’s total.
Williams was directly credited with 10 of Minnesota’s 28 assists.
That means she accounted for more than one-third of the Lynx’s recorded assists.
The Lynx also made 33 field goals.
If 28 of those makes were assisted, the team had an extremely high assisted-basket rate.
That kind of offensive coordination helps explain why Minnesota could score efficiently even without relying on one player to dominate every possession.
Indiana’s Fourth-Quarter Response
The fourth quarter deserves separate attention because Indiana scored 25 points compared with Minnesota’s 10.
That was the Fever’s best offensive quarter of the game.
It also demonstrated how different the game could look once the initial deficit was established and the pressure of the opening minutes had changed.
Still, the fourth-quarter result should not be mistaken for evidence that the game was close.
Minnesota entered the period with a 35-point advantage.
Even after Indiana outscored the Lynx by 15 in the final quarter, Minnesota won by 20.
The statistical lesson is straightforward: late scoring can change the margin without changing the overall story of the game.
For analysts, this distinction is important.
A box score should be read chronologically rather than as a collection of isolated numbers.
Defensive Pressure and Indiana’s Offensive Problems
Indiana’s 66 points were its major problem.
The WNBA recap noted that the Fever fell behind 25-4 late in the first quarter.
That early sequence placed enormous pressure on Indiana’s offense.
Once a team is down by a large margin, every missed shot becomes more costly because there are fewer possessions available to recover.
Indiana also finished with 15 turnovers.
Minnesota had 13.
The turnover difference was not enormous, but it contributed to Indiana’s inability to generate enough efficient possessions.
More importantly, the Fever were not able to compensate for their poor shooting through three-point accuracy.
They made just five threes.
They also converted 11 of 20 free throws.
Minnesota, meanwhile, made five of six free throws.
The Lynx therefore received efficient scoring from the field and from the foul line, while Indiana struggled across both major shooting areas.
The Rebounding Picture
Rebounding statistics should always be checked against the final official gamebook before publication because publicly reproduced versions of this game’s box score have displayed inconsistent totals in some fields.
The supplied data lists Indiana with 43 rebounds and Minnesota with 44. Other public reproductions have displayed different team rebound totals and identify Monique Billings as Indiana’s rebound leader with 10.
Because of that discrepancy, it would be misleading to present the supplied rebound figures as unquestionably authoritative.
The broader lesson is more useful.
Rebounding was not the central explanation for the 20-point result.
Shooting efficiency, perimeter scoring, early offensive execution, and assist creation were much more obvious drivers of the outcome.
For a statistics-focused article, that distinction matters. Not every category in a box score carries equal explanatory value.
A Note on the Supplied Player-Leader Data
The supplied dataset identifies Aliyah Boston as Indiana’s leading rebounder with 10 rebounds and Caitlin Clark as the Fever’s assist leader with three assists.
However, the publicly available game reporting does not fully support those two fields.
The WNBA and AP reporting confirms that Boston exited the game with a lower-leg issue, while public box-score reproductions identify Monique Billings with 10 rebounds and Raven Johnson with four assists.
For that reason, a responsible publication should not repeat those two supplied values as definitive player leaders without checking the final official gamebook.
This is especially important for a statistics article.
A small mistake in a player leaderboard can be copied by other sites, appear in search results, and eventually become difficult to correct.
For readers looking for the official record, the WNBA game page is the appropriate source of record. official WNBA game box score
What the Season Series Shows
The September finale was the third meeting between Indiana and Minnesota during the 2026 regular season.
The supplied season-series record was 2-1 in Minnesota’s favor.
The three reported results were:
- Minnesota defeated Indiana 108-100 on August 2.
- Indiana defeated Minnesota 96-77 on September 23.
- Minnesota defeated Indiana 86-66 in the September finale.
The first game was high scoring on both sides.
The WNBA’s official record shows Minnesota winning 108-100, with Olivia Miles scoring 28 points and Courtney Williams adding 27. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 37 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded 19 points and 10 assists.
The second meeting produced a completely different result, with Indiana winning 96-77.
The third meeting then swung sharply back toward Minnesota.
That sequence is valuable because it demonstrates how much matchup results can change from one game to another.
A season series is not one continuous game.
Lineups, availability, defensive adjustments, shooting variance, rest, and game location can all change the statistical profile.
Comparing the Three Matchups
The three meetings also show why using only the latest box score can be misleading when discussing a rivalry or recurring matchup.
The August 2 game was an offensive contest.
Minnesota scored 108.
Indiana scored 100.
Both teams shot 57 percent from the field according to the AP recap, and each team made 11 three-pointers.
The September 23 meeting went in Indiana’s direction.
Then the final meeting produced an 86-66 Minnesota win, with the Lynx limiting Indiana’s offense to its lowest scoring output of the matchup sequence.
That change is important.
It suggests that the September finale was not simply a continuation of the August game.
The teams produced very different offensive environments.
For people researching player statistics, this is one reason head-to-head averages should be interpreted carefully.
A player might perform extremely well in a fast-paced offensive game and then see fewer efficient opportunities when the opponent controls tempo and forces difficult shots.
Why McBride’s Shooting Was So Important
McBride’s performance deserves additional attention because it combined scoring volume with perimeter efficiency.
She scored 22 points while making six three-pointers.
That means more than 80 percent of her points came from three-point field goals.
When a perimeter player is making shots at that rate, the defensive structure of the opposing team becomes harder to maintain.
Help defenders have to respect spacing.
Closeouts become more aggressive.
Driving lanes can open.
Passing angles can change.
Even possessions in which McBride does not take the shot can be influenced by the threat of her shooting.
This is why box-score analysis should distinguish between production and offensive gravity.
A player can affect possessions without appearing in the scoring column on every possession.
Minnesota’s Ball Movement Created Balance
Minnesota’s 28 assists were almost as important as the team’s shooting percentage.
The Lynx did not simply make difficult shots.
They generated enough shared offense to keep Indiana from focusing on one scoring option.
McBride had 22.
Howard had 21.
Williams had nine points but 10 assists.
That distribution creates three different ways to impact a game:
- McBride provided perimeter scoring.
- Howard supplied interior and overall scoring.
- Williams organized the offense.
That balance is visible in the final team statistics.
Minnesota made 33 field goals.
Indiana made 25.
The eight-field-goal difference was not caused by one player alone.
It reflected a broader team offensive performance.
Indiana’s Offensive Profile Was Completely Different
Indiana’s 66 points came from a much less efficient shooting night.
The Fever attempted 73 field goals, only two fewer than Minnesota.
Yet they made eight fewer shots.
That means the problem was not a lack of attempts.
It was what happened to those attempts.
The 34 percent field-goal percentage was far below Minnesota’s 44 percent.
The three-point gap made matters worse.
Indiana attempted 32 threes but made only five.
This is exactly the kind of game where high volume cannot compensate for poor conversion.
If a team attempts 32 three-pointers at roughly 16 percent, it generates only 15 points from those makes.
Minnesota’s 15 made threes produced 45 points.
That 30-point difference from three-point makes alone is enormous.
The Importance of Context Around Caitlin Clark’s Two Points
Clark’s two-point performance will naturally attract attention because of her importance to Indiana’s offense.
But the statistic should be interpreted carefully.
She shot 1-for-12.
That means she attempted 12 field goals and made one.
The low scoring total was therefore not caused by a lack of offensive involvement.
She had opportunities.
The shots simply did not fall at a normal rate.
That distinction matters for anyone studying player performance.
A player scoring two points on two field-goal attempts has a different statistical story from a player scoring two points on 12 attempts.
The latter indicates significant offensive involvement combined with poor conversion.
The AP report also described Clark’s two points as a season low.
The Role of Game Situation
Game situation is one of the most overlooked parts of player-stat analysis.
Suppose a player scores 20 points in a close game.
Those points are accumulated while the opponent is still defending the game normally.
Now compare that with a player scoring 20 points after the team falls 30 points behind.
The raw total is identical, but the surrounding circumstances are different.
The Fever’s fourth-quarter scoring surge is a good example.
Indiana scored 25 points in the fourth.
That looks positive in isolation.
But Minnesota was already leading by 35.
The Lynx could therefore manage possessions differently, protect the lead, and reduce the need for high-risk offensive actions.
That context should accompany any serious analysis of the final-period statistics.
What Fans Can Learn From the Box Score
For someone searching for the indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats, the most useful information is not simply a list of names and numbers.
The box score answers several practical questions.
Who scored the most?
Kayla McBride led all scorers with 22 points.
Who provided Minnesota’s secondary scoring?
Natasha Howard scored 21.
Who controlled the passing game?
Courtney Williams recorded 10 assists.
Who led Indiana in scoring?
Kelsey Mitchell scored 10 points.
How did Caitlin Clark perform?
Clark scored two points on 1-for-12 shooting.
Which team shot better?
Minnesota shot 44 percent from the field compared with Indiana’s 34 percent in the supplied team data.
Which team shot better from three?
Minnesota made 15 of 40 three-pointers, while Indiana made five of 32.
Which team moved the ball more effectively?
Minnesota recorded 28 assists compared with Indiana’s 13.
These numbers give readers a much clearer understanding of how the game unfolded.
What This Matchup Says About Statistical Analysis
The game is a useful example of why basketball statistics should be read as a connected system.
Field-goal percentage tells us about shot conversion.
Three-point percentage tells us about perimeter efficiency.
Assists tell us about recorded playmaking.
Turnovers tell us about possession security.
Quarter scores tell us when the game changed.
Individual scoring totals tell us who converted opportunities.
No single category explains everything.
In this contest, however, several categories pointed in the same direction.
Minnesota:
- Shot better overall.
- Made far more three-pointers.
- Recorded more assists.
- Received two 20-point scorers.
- Built a 30-point halftime lead.
Indiana:
- Shot 34 percent overall.
- Made only five threes.
- Recorded 13 assists.
- Saw its primary scoring options struggle.
- Fell behind heavily in the first half.
When several independent statistical indicators tell the same story, the interpretation becomes much stronger.
A Practical Framework for Reading Future Fever vs Lynx Games
If these teams meet again, readers can use a simple five-part framework to understand the matchup quickly.
1. Check three-point volume
How many threes did each team attempt?
Volume matters because it tells you how heavily each offense relied on perimeter scoring.
2. Check three-point efficiency
Attempts alone are not enough.
Compare made threes and percentage.
The September finale showed why this matters.
3. Compare assists
A large assist gap can reveal a difference in offensive organization.
The 28-to-13 advantage for Minnesota was one of the clearest statistical differences in this game.
4. Look at the first quarter
The first quarter often explains the eventual shape of a game.
Minnesota’s 32-13 opening immediately created pressure on Indiana.
5. Put individual performances into team context
A player’s points should be considered alongside field-goal attempts, team shooting, assists, turnovers, and game situation.
That prevents a single statistic from being treated as the complete explanation.
Final Statistical Takeaways
The September finale produced a clear statistical profile.
Minnesota won 86-66.
The Lynx led 62-32 at halftime.
They shot 44 percent from the field according to the supplied data.
They made 15 three-pointers.
They recorded 28 assists.
Kayla McBride scored 22 points.
Natasha Howard scored 21.
Courtney Williams recorded 10 assists.
Indiana made 25 field goals on 73 attempts.
The Fever shot only 5-for-32 from three-point range.
Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 10 points.
Caitlin Clark scored two points on 1-for-12 shooting.
Indiana did produce a 25-point fourth quarter, but Minnesota’s early advantage was too large to overcome.
The result also completed a three-game regular-season series in which Minnesota won two meetings and Indiana won one.
The larger statistical lesson is that Minnesota’s victory was driven by efficiency and collective offense rather than one isolated category. McBride’s shooting, Howard’s scoring, Williams’ playmaking, and the team’s 28 assists all contributed to an offensive performance that was markedly different from Indiana’s 66-point output.
For readers reviewing the indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats, the most important numbers are therefore the ones that explain the 20-point margin: 44 percent versus 34 percent shooting, 15 made threes versus five, 28 assists versus 13, and a 32-13 opening quarter.
Those figures provide the clearest statistical explanation of how Minnesota controlled the game.
FAQs
What was the final score between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx?
The Minnesota Lynx defeated the Indiana Fever 86-66 at Target Center. The official WNBA record confirms the final score and quarter-by-quarter breakdown.
Who led the Lynx in scoring?
Kayla McBride led Minnesota with 22 points. She made six three-pointers on 10 attempts, according to the AP game recap published through the WNBA game page.
Who led the Fever in scoring?
Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 10 points. Caitlin Clark finished with two points on 1-for-12 shooting.
How many assists did Courtney Williams have?
Courtney Williams recorded 10 assists for Minnesota, along with nine points and seven rebounds.
How did the teams perform from three-point range?
Minnesota made 15 of 40 three-point attempts, while Indiana made five of 32 based on the supplied team statistics. That was one of the biggest statistical differences in the game.
What was the biggest reason Minnesota won?
The clearest statistical factors were Minnesota’s stronger shooting efficiency, major three-point advantage, 28 assists, and dominant first half. The Lynx led 62-32 at halftime and never surrendered control.
Conclusion
The indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats from the 86-66 finale show how a game can be decided long before the final quarter.
Minnesota’s 32-point first quarter created the foundation for the victory. The Lynx then added 30 points in the second period to build a 30-point halftime advantage. Although Indiana responded with 25 points in the fourth quarter, the deficit was too large to erase.
Kayla McBride’s 22 points and six made three-pointers provided the headline scoring performance. Natasha Howard added 21 points, while Courtney Williams supplied 10 assists and helped keep Minnesota’s offense organized.
Indiana’s numbers tell the opposite story. Kelsey Mitchell led the team with 10 points, while Caitlin Clark had two points on 1-for-12 shooting. The Fever’s 5-for-32 performance from three-point range made it difficult to keep pace with a Minnesota team that converted 15 threes.
The assist difference was equally revealing. Minnesota recorded 28 assists compared with Indiana’s 13, showing how effectively the Lynx created scoring opportunities for one another.
The final score therefore reflects more than a hot start or a few individual performances. It reflects a broad statistical advantage in shooting efficiency, perimeter scoring, playmaking, and early-game execution.
For anyone studying the indiana fever vs minnesota lynx match player stats, the most meaningful figures are the ones that connect directly to the result. Minnesota shot more efficiently, converted far more three-pointers, moved the ball more effectively, and established a lead that shaped the remainder of the game.
The result also closed a three-game regular-season series that featured three very different contests, including Minnesota’s 108-100 win in August and Indiana’s 96-77 victory before the September finale. That variation reinforces why individual game statistics should be considered alongside game context rather than treated as isolated numbers.
