Kelsey Mitchell, Fever cruise past anemic Aces

Kelsey Mitchell scored 25 points, Natasha Howard had a double-double and the Indiana Fever never trailed in an 81-54 rout of the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday night in Indianapolis.

Howard finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, Aliyah Boston had 20 points and seven rebounds and Mitchell added six assists for the Fever (9-8), who won their third straight game in the absence of All-Star guard Caitlin Clark, who has an injured left groin. That three-game run includes Tuesday's victory in the Commissioner's Cup final against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.

A'ja Wilson scored 29 points, but no teammate had more than six for the Aces (8-9), who scored just seven fourth-quarter points. They shot 26.2 percent from the floor and 18.8 percent on 3-pointers.

Wilson scored eight points to help Las Vegas begin the third quarter with a 12-3 run to climb within 49-36. Lexie Hull responded with a 3-pointer and assisted on a triple by Mitchell as Indiana rebuilt the lead to 19 points.

Kiah Stokes made two free throws for the Aces, but 17 points was the closest they could get. The Fever held a 68-47 lead at the end of the third quarter and coasted.

Indiana scored the first six points of the game before Wilson made Las Vegas' first basket and Jackie Young added a 3-pointer to trim the lead to 8-5. Mitchell scored seven points during a 9-2 run that expanded the Fever's lead to 17-7.

Wilson went on a personal 6-0 run, including a basket that ended the Aces' field-goal drought of more than three minutes, and the Aces got within 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Dana Evans started the second-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer that pulled Las Vegas within four, but Indiana answered with an 8-0 run for 29-17 lead. Wilson's three-point play ended another Aces' field-goal drought of more than three minutes, but Boston scored six points to help the Fever extend their lead to 41-22.

Wilson made a layup to give her 17 first-half points, but Mitchell answered with a 3-pointer and Howard added a layup, giving Indiana a 46-24 halftime lead.