
The Atlanta Dream delivered a season-high 113 points in a convincing 113-96 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday at State Farm Arena. Rhyne Howard led the way with 24 points while Angel Reese added 18 points and 8 rebounds. The win marked Atlanta’s second straight victory over Indiana in three days after they took the first meeting 108-101 on Thursday.
Reese’s performance carried extra significance. When she secured her sixth rebound of the game, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career rebounds. She achieved the milestone in just 76 games, breaking the previous record held by Tina Charles, who needed 89 games.
Angel Reese’s quick climb to 1,000 rebounds highlighted her rapid impact in the league. Her presence on the glass helped Atlanta Dream control second-chance opportunities and limited the Indiana Fever's ability to extend possessions during key stretches. Reaching the mark faster than any player before her shows how quickly she has developed into one of the WNBA’s most physical and productive frontcourt players.
The milestone also gave the Dream a clear edge inside that became increasingly difficult for Indiana to manage as the game progressed into the second half.
Indiana Fever carried a 59-56 lead into halftime, but Atlanta flipped the game in the third quarter by outscoring the Fever 28-15. A decisive 13-0 run, which included six points from Reese and ended with a Rhyne Howard three-pointer, gave the Dream a 73-65 lead. Indiana responded briefly with two free throws from Boston and a layup by Caitlin Clark, but Atlanta answered with another six straight points to push the advantage to double digits entering the fourth quarter.
The margin grew to 13 on another Howard three as the Dream maintained steady pressure on both ends. Indiana’s defense had few answers once Atlanta found its rhythm, allowing the visitors to score efficiently in transition and from long range. The offensive outburst helped Atlanta reach their season-high point total for the game.
The Indiana Fever shot efficiently through the first two quarters, hitting 61 percent from the floor and 60 percent from three-point range. Kelsey Mitchell scored 16 points by halftime while Caitlin Clark added 15 points in the opening 20 minutes. Despite the strong offensive start, Indiana managed only a three-point lead at the break.
Atlanta stayed within striking distance despite shooting 45 percent overall in the first half. Naz Hillmon led the Dream with 15 first-half points and the team connected on enough threes to keep the deficit manageable. Once the third quarter began, however, Indiana’s defense could not slow Atlanta’s attack, and the Fever never recovered.
Rhyne Howard’s 24 points proved vital, especially her clutch three-pointers that stretched Indiana’s defense and opened driving lanes for teammates. The Dream turned an 11-point deficit midway through the second quarter into a comfortable double-digit lead by combining balanced scoring with improved defensive intensity after halftime.
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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