Stephanie White Explains Indiana Fever Decision After Big Loss

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Stephanie White Explains Indiana Fever Decision After Big Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Sep 21, 2026 7:02 AM ET

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White said she’s proud of rookie Raven Johnson despite the loss.

On Sunday, the Fever entered their game against the Washington Mystics with a lot of momentum after winning three in a row. But Indiana struggled from the get-go, allowing the Mystics to capitalize and build a 19-point halftime lead.

This forced Coach White to make some changes to her lineup for the second half. She called on Johnson to start the third quarter in place of veteran Lexie Hull.

Despite the adjustment, the Fever still absorbed a tough 93-77 loss on their home floor. After the game, White addressed Johnson’s increased playing time.

“Her energy defensively, her ability to put heat on the ball, her activity level, her ability to — even if she didn’t get rebounds — get in there and mix it up,” White said at the 6:30 mark. “… She’s the only one on our team with a positive plus-minus.”

Indiana Fever guard Raven Johnson (3) looks on during a WNBA game.Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The 5-foot-8 guard out of South Carolina finished the game with six points, four rebounds, one steal and two blocks in a season-high 26 minutes.

White, the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year winner, continued to praise Johnson for her significant on-court contribution.

“I thought her effort on the defensive end was really good, and we needed that,” White said. “They were getting really what they wanted on that end of the floor, and I thought she came in and impacted the game in a lot of different ways.

“And I’d also say I’m proud of her for staying ready.”

Johnson has averaged 10.7 minutes per game across 37 appearances this season. She’s put up 3.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest.

The Fever will look to bounce back in their last two games of the season against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday and Thursday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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