The Washington Mystics visit the Indiana Fever on Sunday afternoon in the only game left on Washington’s schedule against a playoff team. Indiana is a 6.5-point home favorite with the total set at 178. Both teams are already in the postseason field, but neither is playing out the string. We have a side, a total, and one bonus angle below.
Last Updated: Sunday, September 20, 2026
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana |
| When | Sunday, September 20 – 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA TV |
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever Betting Preview
Indiana arrives at 27-14 and fifth in the WNBA standings. The Fever have won three straight, most recently 103-85 at Toronto on Friday night. That game produced the headline of the week. Kelsey Mitchell scored 33 points and passed A’ja Wilson’s 2024 mark of 1,021 points to set the WNBA single-season scoring record. She sits at 1,034 points and 25.2 per game.
Caitlin Clark has been the other half of that engine. She averages 22.6 points and 8.5 assists, which leads the league in assists and ranks third in scoring. Clark is listed as probable with a back issue. Indiana leads the WNBA in scoring, and it needs that offense, because the defense has been the soft spot all season.
Washington comes in at 25-16 after a 110-80 win over Chicago on Thursday. That scoreline is not the Mystics’ identity, however. This is one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league and one of the stingiest by points allowed. Kiki Iriafen, Shakira Austin, and Sonia Citron have carried a young roster into the bracket.
The season series is split 1-1, and both games were decided by two points. Washington won 104-102 in overtime in Indianapolis on May 15. Indiana answered 78-76 in Washington on June 8. One was a track meet, the other a rock fight. For more on how the Fever have been playing, see our Fever vs. Tempo prediction for September 18.
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mystics | +6.5 (-115) | +205 | U 178 (-110) |
| Fever | -6.5 (-105) | -245 | O 178 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of September 20, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest WNBA Odds – Futures – Props
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Mystics | 51% | 49% | Fever |
See the latest WNBA Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Mystics vs. Fever Prediction — Is Point Spread too High?
The market opened Indiana -6 and nudged to -6.5. That is a small move, and the spread split is almost dead even at 51 percent on Washington. The moneyline tells a different story. Roughly nine of every ten moneyline tickets sit on Indiana. That pattern usually means casual money likes the home team without wanting to lay the number.
The case for Washington starts with the two prior meetings. Both were two-point games, and one went to overtime in this building. The Mystics defend at a high level relative to the league, and Indiana’s defense has been the leakiest part of a very good team. Indiana also played Friday night in Toronto and turns around for a Sunday matinee.
The case against is straightforward. Indiana is the league’s best offense, it is at home, and it has the clearer motivation. The Fever are still chasing Atlanta for the fourth seed and the right to host Games 1 and 3 of a best-of-three first round. A blowout is live if Mitchell and Clark get hot early. Even so, six and a half points is a real number between teams whose last two meetings turned on a single possession.
The Pick: Mystics +6.5 (-115)
Mystics vs. Fever Prediction — Will Defense Shine in Indiana?
The total opened at 178 and has not moved. That stability makes sense. Indiana scores more than anyone in the WNBA, while Washington scores less than almost anyone and allows fewer points than almost anyone. The number sits right where those two profiles meet.
The binding constraint is Washington’s offense. For 178 to land, the Mystics likely need to clear their season scoring norm even if Indiana posts a typical home number. They did exactly that against Chicago on Thursday, so the over is far from dead. The counterpoint is that Chicago has been eliminated for weeks, and the June meeting between these teams finished 78-76. In contrast, the May overtime game cleared 200.
The Pick: Under 178 (-110)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
The bonus angle sits on the moneyline. Washington at +205 implies a win probability of roughly 33 percent. Given that the Mystics already won in this building this season, and that both meetings came down to the final possession, that price looks generous for a small-stake play. The risk is obvious. Indiana has more to play for, more talent, and the home floor.
One more factor to watch. Clark’s back designation and any late Mystics lineup news can move this number quickly. Check the official WNBA game page for final status updates, and compare this card against our latest WNBA picks coverage.
To recap, here are all three positions from this article: Mystics +6.5 (-115) as the featured against-the-spread play, Under 178 (-110) on the total, and Mystics moneyline +205 as a smaller bonus position.
WNBA Mystics vs. Fever FAQ: Sunday September 20, 2026
What time does the Mystics vs. Fever game start?
The Washington Mystics and Indiana Fever tip off at 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 20, 2026. It is an afternoon start rather than the league’s more common evening window, and both teams have three games left in the regular season after this one is done.
What channel is the Mystics vs. Fever game on?
The game airs nationally on NBA TV. Local coverage is also available in the Indianapolis market on WTHR-13 and through the team’s own broadcast feed, so viewers in central Indiana have more than one option for the Sunday afternoon window.
Where are the Mystics and Fever playing today?
The game is at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Fever’s home arena. Washington is the road team for the third and final meeting of the regular season between these two clubs, and it is the Mystics’ last game against a playoff opponent.
Who won the last meeting between the Mystics and Fever?
Indiana won the last meeting 78-76 in Washington on June 8, 2026. It was a low-scoring game decided on the final possession, and it stood in sharp contrast to the teams’ first meeting three weeks earlier, which needed overtime and produced more than 200 combined points.
What is the season series record between the Mystics and Fever?
The season series is tied 1-1 heading into Sunday. Washington won 104-102 in overtime in Indianapolis on May 15, and Indiana won 78-76 at home in Washington on June 8. A combined four points separate the two teams across those two games.