Few teams have cracked triple digits this season. Not talking techs, but the points, and fewer have done it in style. The Mercury, though? They have hit 100 three times. Their first breakout came on June 20 against the Sky. The squad dropped 107, the second-highest tally of the season at the time. Just two shy of Dallas’ regular-season opening-night blitz against the Sun. Then came their very next game on June 27, where the Mercury lit up the Liberty for another 105+. And just tonight, Phoenix cracked triple digits again, in 101 loss. Yep, loss. However, Aari McDonald and the squad might have tried to rob them of more than just the win.
Maybe Alyssa Thomas’ 32-point explosion nearly saved the Mercury’s spot in the record books, nearly. But it wasn’t enough to define the night. Even though the Fever trailed 30–20 after the first quarter, they flipped the script in the second. They outscored Phoenix 35–20. It was fueled by sharp shooting: 52% from the field, including 46% from three (11-for-24), just like that, Indiana stormed back to take the win. Caitlin Clark may still be sidelined (groin injury, out since July 15), but the Fever are thriving off their depth.
Ten players saw action Wednesday, with Aliyah Boston putting up 22 points and 12 boards. But the night belonged to Aari McDonald. She dropped a career-high 27 points and led the Fever to a season-best 107 points. This tied the Mercury for the league’s second-highest scoring total this year. It’s also Indiana’s highest-scoring game of the season and the third-most in franchise history. And Aari? She got her moment.
dropped a season-high 107 on ’em.#NowYouKnow pic.twitter.com/TS2NqjqAEJ
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 31, 2025
The Fever posted a video of her jumping and screaming a loud “YEAHHHH!” In the frame, leading scorer of the night, Alyssa Thomas, stood in the background, disappointed. The caption was plain yet powerful. It read, “Dropped a season-high 107 on ‘em. #NowYouKnow.” The slogan also echoed across the screen, loud and clear: NOW YOU KNOW. Indiana truly made a statement. One that justifies their season opening campaign.
“On the heels of a record-setting season that captured the world’s attention, the ‘Now You Know’ campaign amplifies the cultural and basketball influence of our franchise, while also driving our ambition for more. We are excited to celebrate our players and fans throughout the upcoming season and to continue being a torchbearer for our sport,” said Fever AVP of Marketing Shayna Sangster while launching: Now You Know. Since then, the slogan has been serving as the team’s 2025 campaign mantra, reaffirming Indiana as the epicenter of basketball and women’s sports.
Aari McDonald, the Plot Twist No One Saw Coming
It’s almost funny how full circle moments sneak up in the W. The Fever brought in DeWanna Bonner to be the veteran leader alongside Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell. She picked Indiana over a return to Phoenix, where she had won two championships and spent 10 years of her career. But her reunion with former coach Stephanie White just didn’t work.
Bonner started the season in the lineup but almost immediately looked out of place with Indiana’s tempo and system. After just three starts and a nine-game stretch where she averaged a career-low 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, she asked for a trade. Nothing came through. On June 25, the Fever cut her. “It wasn’t a decision any of us made lightly,” Fever GM Amber Cox said back then. “We knew it wasn’t something that was going to last the duration of the season.”
Two weeks later, Bonner was back in Phoenix. She signed on July 7 to reunite with fiancée Alyssa Thomas and her original team. “It’s home,” Bonner told the Arizona Republic. “I know I’m going to get the love and the support.” Since returning, she has put up 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds over six games, sliding back into a role that fits her groove.
Ironically, Bonner’s exit opened the door for Aari McDonald. After the Fever freed up Bonner’s $200K salary, they signed McDonald full-time. The move rewarded her strong play during an earlier short-term stint. Safe to say, that move worked out well. While Bonner finished with just 4 points and 1 rebound in 21 minutes off the Mercury bench, McDonald went off against Phoenix for 27. Her season-high powered the Fever to 107 points.
Also, the Fever fans didn’t miss the chance to react to this situation. “Thank you, DeWanna Bonner, for making way for Aari McDonald. Your contributions will not be forgotten.” The sarcasm was thick, but the outcome was clear: Bonner’s departure might’ve been Indiana’s accidental blessing.
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