INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever closed out their preseason slate with a 105-57 blowout win over the Nigerian National Team at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night.
Fever coach Stephanie White kept her starters’ minutes short: none played more than 15 minutes, nor in the second half. Aliyah Boston, in her return from a lower leg injury, played 10, while Monique Billings twisted her ankle and only played 6.
Indiana’s reserves kept up the gigantic lead in the second half, too, holding the Nigerian National Team to 30% shooting from the field and 0% shooting from 3-point range.
Here are three observations:
Aliyah Boston returns, opens playbook
Boston returned to the Fever ranks on Saturday night after she missed the first two preseason games because of a lower leg injury she suffered in Unrivaled. And that return came with some new wrinkles in the Fever playbook — including an inverted pick and roll between Boston and Caitlin Clark.
Clark, playing off the ball in the second quarter, set a screen for Boston, who brought the ball up the floor, and it freed up Boston for a wide-open layup.
Those plays working come with a grain of salt, of course, as the Nigerian National Team is not of the same caliber as WNBA teams. But if Boston and Clark can find a way to make those types of plays work consistently, they can make the Fever that much harder to defend.
Tyasha Harris makes Fever debut after injury delay
Tyasha Harris, who the Fever signed out of free agency this offseason, also made her preseason debut Saturday after missing the first two games because of a return-to-play regimen following knee surgery in June 2025. Harris only played five games for the Wings last season before suffering the knee injury and has been working her way back since.
She only played 12 minutes on Saturday night, scoring two points off of free throws and assisting on one basket.
White, who was Harris’ coach in Connecticut in 2023-24, is confident she’s already seen enough from the combo guard — in a combination of practice and their history together — to know she’ll be successful with the Fever this season.
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Monique Billings leaves with injury
Projected Fever starter Monique Billings was firing on all cylinders against Nigeria, making each of her first three shots (including a 3-pointer) for seven points in six minutes of play.
Then, she tweaked her ankle after landing on an opponent’s foot under the basket.
Billings didn’t look to be in excruciating pain, but sat under the basket as the play went down to the other end of the floor. When play stopped, she got up and limped off the floor under her own power, first sitting at the end of the bench then walking stiffly back to the locker room. She returned from the locker room a minute later.
The Fever announced at halftime she would not be returning for the remainder of the game because of a right ankle injury, but have not yet specified the severity of the injury. However, as it was a preseason game with a 70-29 halftime score, no starters played the second half.
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at chloe.peterson@indystar.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. Subscribe to IndyStar TV: Fever for in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes coverage and more.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Aliyah Boston returns as Indiana Fever rout Nigeria in preseason finale
Reporting by Chloe Peterson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
