Aug 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh looks on from the sidelines during the first half of a WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Sky Coach's 'Toughest Cover' Stance on Fever Star Guard Speaks Volumes

Originally posted on Indiana Fever on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 11:28 AM ET

When news broke that the Chicago Sky would be facing the Indiana Fever five times during the 2025 WNBA regular season, there was a ton of excitement from women's basketball fans, given how this once fiery rivalry has been reignited in recent years.

This is owed to the Fever drafting Caitlin Clark and the Sky drafting Angel Reese in the 2025 WNBA Draft, as these players arguably have the two biggest followings out of any women's basketball player and have a personal rivalry against one another that stems from their respective college tenures. And once the 2025 WNBA schedule was released, fans thought they'd get to see Clark and Reese face off five times over the span of a few months.

That is not what happened. In fact, Reese and Clark only shared the court once this year, during the season opener on May 17. This is owed to Clark's injury-plagued 2025 campaign.

However, Indiana didn't need Clark's help to dominate Chicago this season, as they went 5-0 against them and won by an average of 23.8 points against first-year head coach Tyler Marsh's team.

Sky Coach Speaks About Kelsey Mitchell's Fever Impact After Loss

The Fever's 97-77 win over the Sky on September 5 (which essentially cements their position in the 2025 postseason) was owed in large part to All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell, who scored a game-high 20 points while also adding eight assists on just one turnover.

Marsh spoke with the media after Friday's loss and gave Mitchell a lot of credit.

"I think it did as a scorer, and then it allowed her to be more of a facilitator the rest of the game. That she was able to get into the creases and find her open teammates," Marsh said when asked whether the Sky locking in defense during the second quarter helped slow Mitchell down, per an X post from the Sky.

"I mean, she's probably the toughest cover in this league, from a guard position," Marsh added of Mitchell. "Her quickness and her ability to attack gaps, as well as her ability to shoot, makes her a really tough cover. So yeah, I thought we did a better job of limiting her as a scorer. Then credit to her, she was able to be effective as a facilitator the rest of the game."

Post Game Press Conference | Sky vs Fever | September 5, 2025 https://t.co/bubZ2340el
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) September 6, 2025

Mitchell averaged 22.6 points per game against the Sky in 2025 (including a 35-point performance in July 27), which proves Marsh and his Chicago squad have no answer for her.

This article first appeared on Indiana Fever on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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