Numbers station: Why the Indiana Fever won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals

For the first time in these 2015 WNBA playoffs, the Indiana Fever are in a different situation. They are not playing catch up. By virtue of a 75-69 road victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Indiana has a 1-0 lead in their best of five championship series. The numbers of note:

Possessions: Indiana 81, Minnesota 76

Offensive efficiency: Indiana 93, Minnesota 91

eFG percentage: Indiana 39, Minnesota 44

FT rate: Indiana 21, Minnesota 37

OREB percentage: Indiana 24, Minnesota 36

TO rate: Indiana 12, Minnesota 18

What Indiana did well ... care for the ball. A low turnover rate tone was set by the play of Briann January. She not only led the Fever with 19 points but added 6 assists against just two turnovers. No  Fever player turned the ball over more than twice. An impressive showing in a road environment.

What Minnesota did well ... defend. Holding Indiana to a 93 efficiency and  39% eFG should be good enough to win the game. They didn't but the defense, when you look at the total body of work, was not the culprit.

Scoring leaders:

Minnesota- Maya Moore 27 points

Indiana- Briann January 19 points

Efficiency leaders:

Minnesota- Sylvia Fowles 26. She committed five turnovers, offset by 9 of 15 shooting, 11 boards and 3 rejections.

Indiana- Briann January and Tamika Catchings 21. January's work was noted before. Catchings is much more than the soul and inspirational leader of Stephanie white's club. Catchings scored a dozen points adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. A versatile afternoon with just one turnover in 35 minutes.

What is next? With the Fever playing with "house money," ahead 1-0 on the road, don't expect a letdown. This team is focused, on a mission, fill in your cliche. Bottom line, they know winning game one does not guarantee a series victory. They'll be ready and a tough out in game two.