Recap: Courtney Vandersloot sets WNBA record with 18 assists in Sky win over Fever

The record-setting 17th assist for Courtney Vandersloot came on a perimeter pass to her wife, Allie Quigley, who used a Stefanie Dolson screen to get open and knock down a 3-pointer from the left corner on Monday night at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

The 18th assist came in almost the exact same fashion — on a pass to Quigley on the left side of the arc — and locked in the final score at 100-77 as the Chicago Sky (11-6) defeated the Indiana Fever (5-11).

Vandersloot now stands alone in ownership of the WNBA record for most assists in a single game, breaking Ticha Penicheiro’s mark of 16, set in 1998 and accomplished again in 2002.

It was a game full of beautiful passes from Vandersloot to her teammates, including Kahleah Copper and Gabby Williams, who each finished with a team-high 21 points. Quigley, meanwhile, notched 19 points and was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Vandersloot was fourth on the team in scoring with 13 points. Rookie Ruthy Hebard was good for 12 points and broke her career high in rebounds by five, with 11, for a double-double.

Chicago also had a great game defensively, holding Kelsey Mitchell, one of the league’s top scorers, to two points on 0-of-7 shooting from the field.

The Fever were led by Teaira McCowan’s 15 points and 11 boards while Candice Dupree, Natalie Achonwa and newly-acquired guard Kamiah Smalls scored in double figures as well. Julie Allemand had 10 assists.

Next up

The Fever will play again on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET in a bout with the Atlanta Dream and the Sky will face the Lynx in a battle for fourth place (Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. ET).

Monday’s other action

Minnesota Lynx flipped the script against the Los Angeles Sparks with 96-78 win | Box Score

The Lynx won by 18 on Monday night, getting revenge for their 16-point loss to the Sparks earlier in the season. Napheesa Collier was the main reason Minnesota came up victorious; she contributed 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists. Crystal Dangerfield added 21 points and five assists and Rachel Banham was 4-of-4 from 3-point range for 18 total points. Damiris Dantas added three triples for 17 points and also recorded nine boards. Bridget Carleton took just one shot in her 28:34 minutes on the floor — dishing out 10 assists of leaving the scoring to others.