Since point guard Caitlin Clark was injured, the Indiana craze has won their first game, winning the signed McDonald's from an emergency and arduous struggle to beat the Washington Mystics 85-76 in Indianapolis.

Indiana lost three games in a row and was ruled out for two weeks after Clark was ruled out for two weeks after being ruled out on May 26. The fever against Washington was 83-77 in a game in Baltimore Wednesday and lost 85-83 to Connecticut Suns at home on Friday.

Defenders Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham were injured in Connecticut and quit the game, while Indiana received only eight players. On Monday, Fever signed McDonald's, the third pick in the 2021 draft, who played for Atlanta Dream and Los Angeles Sparks.

Cunningham is still out, but Colson is able to start and start on Tuesday. Colson scored 7 points and 3 assists in 16 minutes.

McDonald's scored 7 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in 27 minutes.

Fever coach Stephanie White said McDonald's had no chance of having a fever by watching a game movie on a flight to Indianapolis, then planning with the coaching staff, and then executing some dramas on Tuesday's game.

"Not everyone can do that. That's the point guard mentality," White said. "I thought she did a great job. She was hungry, ranked first and second, and she knew how to play. She was just a defense dog; we needed that."

Kelsey Mitchell led the fanatic with a 3-4 score, with Lexie Hull having 14 points. McDonald is praised for providing the team with the lifts they need.

"I'm proud of Aari coming out and playing some incredible minutes," Hull said. "She's ready."

"It shows what a professional is and how you should behave," Mitchell added.

White also said the game was the most complete of fever since the season opener on May 17, when they beat Chicago 93-58 after Clark's triple-double.

"Outside of Game 1, it was the most consistent we played throughout the 40 minutes," White said. "21 assists and 30 shots were scored...that's how we have to play to succeed. We have to let that ball move."