After a tough loss to the New York Liberty on Tuesday, the Indiana Fever will have to face another playoff hopeful in the Las Vegas Aces. Caitlin Clark still isn’t expected to be back. She has been dealing with a tricky groin injury that even kept her out of the All-Star Game and 3-point competition. Without their star guard, the Fever might have some trouble beating the Aces, even though they already managed to do it once.
In Clark’s absence, the Fever will have to rely heavily on backup guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson. For Colson, this is a chance to get a big win over her former team and decide the season series between the Aces and Fever in her favor.
The two teams have met twice already this season. The Fever lost the first meeting in June but managed to get a decisive 81-54 win earlier this month.
Sydney Colson spent quite some time with the Aces
Sydney Colson played for the San Antonio Stars between 2015 and 2017, but missed the move to Las Vegas. She had her first stint with the Aces in 2019. She played 33 games and averaged 11.5 minutes per game. The next season, she played for the Chicago Sky but returned to Las Vegas in 2022.
She was with the Aces for three seasons the second time around, playing a total of 77 games and winning two Commissioner’s Cup championships and two WNBA titles with the team. Colson played a key role in Game 4 of the 2023 Finals despite playing little in the postseason before that game.
After three years with the Aces, Colson was ready for a change and decided to join the Fever. Colson left the Aces in good faith, though, sending some heartfelt good-bye messages on social media.
Colson has been a key reserve in Clark’s absence
When the Fever signed Colson, they got her as a veteran backup to Caitlin Clark—someone who could provide perimeter defense, championship experience, and a calm presence. The season didn’t turn out as planned. Clark has only played 13 games, missing significant time due to injuries for the first time in her career.
In her absence, Colson has had to take on a bigger role than expected. Twenty-three games into the season, she is averaging 14.1 minutes per game. That marks the highest number since her 2016 season with San Antonio.