The Indiana Fever, counted out by many, pulled off a stunner, hammering the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals. Despite missing superstar Caitlin Clark and a slew of key players, the sixth-seeded Fever silenced doubters.
Despite the prime guard’s off night, coach Stephanie White addressed Aliyah Boston’s low-scoring output. But out of the blue, the Indiana loyals were after the ESPN analysts for picking the Aces as a clear winner for Game 1.
Indiana Fever Fans Lashed Out At ESPN Over Bold Game 1 Prediction
When the final buzzer sounded on Indiana’s 16-point rout, Fever fans went straight for ESPN’s jugular. Analysts Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, and Chiney Ogwumike had all backed the Aces, a safe bet given Vegas’ 18-game win streak and A’ja Wilson’s fresh fourth MVP award.
ESPNONSENEpic.twitter.com/7FL1eWkVK9
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) September 21, 2025
But the Fever had other plans, and their supporters let the world know it. Social media lit up with angry comments for not giving the Fever even one out of the three votes.
“Dumb, dumber and dumbest,” a fan commented.
Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
— X Robin (@XRobin16254) September 21, 2025
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“They’re painfully awful. They are the reason I mute pre-game and halftime,” another fan wrote.
They’re painfully awful. They are the reason I mute pre game and halftime.
— Comrade Misty is Putin’s Buddy (@SarcasmStardust) September 21, 2025
“I love when they are wrong, which is often,” a third one added.
I love when they are wrong, which is often
— Jay (@STLLEGEND) September 21, 2025
“Wish I saw their stupid faces after this. Thank God they are not rooting for us because that might give us bad luck,” a fourth one mentioned.
Wish I saw their stupid faces after this. Thank God they are not rooting for us because that might give us bad luck
— Barbie💖 (@NaomiNommi) September 21, 2025
“Wrong as always. These people have no shame,” a user added.
Wrong as always. These people have no shame.
— Very Happy (@IixPmahc) September 21, 2025
The trolling was relentless but earned. ESPN’s unanimous prediction that the Aces would roll, two analysts called it in four games, three in five, looked shaky even before tip-off, given Indiana’s 3-1 season edge over Vegas. Fans pointed to the network’s earlier miss, when all nine staffers picked Atlanta to sweep Indy in the first round, only for the Fever to win 2-1.
Indiana Fever Beat Out Aces Despite Being Underdog
Nobody gave the Fever a shot, not with the Aces riding high and Indy’s roster gutted by injuries. Yet, led by Kelsey Mitchell’s playoff-career-high 34 points, they dominated from the jump, setting a WNBA record for the most points in a player’s first career semifinal game.
Mitchell was unstoppable while shooting 12-of-23 overall and 4-of-6 from three, while Odyssey Sims chipped in 17 points and Natasha Howard added a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. The Fever’s 50 points and 1.11 points per possession shredded Vegas’ defense, which hadn’t allowed that much since a 53-point loss to Minnesota on August 2.
Even Chennedy Carter sent surprising praise for the ‘underdog’ Indiana. However, Fever’s urgency was clear as they outhustled the Aces, who couldn’t find answers despite Wilson’s 16 points and 12 rebounds on a rough 6-of-22 shooting night.
The Fever’s 11-0 run to close the third quarter, sparked by Mitchell and Sims, blew the game open, pushing a shrinking three-point lead to 14 heading into the fourth. Coach Stephanie White’s squad, carrying momentum from their first-round upset over Atlanta (87-85), played with a chip on their shoulder, proving their two regular-season wins over Vegas were no fluke.