Saturday’s game against the Fever was the only way the Sky could have made a statement. The only way they could have brought a stop to all the criticism brewing online. Because it does not matter that you have a two-game winning streak against the worst team in the league when you are going against your biggest rivals. Rivals who have already steamrolled you with a 35-point loss. To win was all the more important because they were supposed to uphold Chicago’s legacy at the the United Center. It has been the Bulls’ home since 1994 and the Ls of Wintrust Arena were not supposed to tarnish the first-ever WNBA game being played on that stage.

But that’s exactly what happened and it wasn’t even a close game. The Indiana Fever were already without their stars Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham and yet, Chicago put forth another 25+ beatdown. However, as bad as it sounds with fans clamoring online to ban the team, the loss is probably not on Tyler Marsh’s mind. After all, the Sky’s historic night also witnessed an injury to their floor general, Courtney Vandersloot.

During the first quarter of their much-awaited matchup against the Fever, Sky’s veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot collapsed while driving to the basket. She grabbed her right knee while crying out in pain. The trainers immediately rushed to her side. Then, just moments later, they carried her off the court and she was ruled out, just like that, for the remainder of the game. And in her absence, the Sky suffered even more.

But, for now, all eyes are on Courtney Vandersloot. Chicago is crossing fingers that this isn’t a serious setback and that she’ll be back in time for their next showdown against the Liberty. Head coach Tyler Marsh offered a sliver of hope in the postgame interview, saying, “Still assessing the injury and we’ll have more information soon.”  Yes, having no updates is the only thing worth clinging to right now, because for what it’s worth, the fall did look serious, and if it’s an ACL tear, Tyler Marsh and his squad will have to adjust as soon as possible.

Because moving forward, Courtney Vandersloot’s presence will be needed even more. And the impact of her absence can weigh heavily. Tyler Marsh continued to share, “[Sloot’s] our engine. She’s our captain and our leader out there.” That’s exactly the kind of importance you give to 14 years of raw experience. And things can easily go downhill in its absence, unless other members step up well. And the roster lacked that, as a whole. Marsh added, “We’ve all got a responsibility…Everyone needs to step up with Sloot out. Today we didn’t do that for her or for each other.”

Now, while Reese did put up a dismal performance, scoring just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting, Marsh does not think she struggled as such. For him, Vandersloot or no Vandersloot, coming together as a team is paramount. Hopefully, the Sky squad will up their game now. Because with that 2-5 losing record, they really need it.

Tyler Marsh on Angel Reese’s disappointing performance

The Sky’s loss to Indiana did not come off as a surprise to many. The Fever undeniably has a more talented roster on paper. And as predicted, the Sky fell short, and postgame, head coach Tyler Marsh was asked about Angel Reese’s offensive struggles against Indiana as she scored just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting.

However, he quickly shifted the focus to the team’s collective performance. “No, I think that we struggled as a team. I don’t think Angel struggled tonight, I think we struggled as a team,” Marsh said.

He added that,“It’s not about Angel being better for us, it’s us being better for Angel, and everyone else around. And so, again, it made it tough for anybody to get a rhythm tonight.” Basically, Tyler Marsh made it clear that Reese’s effort was never in question. “One thing you don’t have to question with Angel is her effort and her energy. And so tonight, I thought she gave us what she could, and she was effective on the glass, and gave what she could defensively as well”. 

He did not shy away from emphasizing that improvement was needed across the board. “We’ve got to be better across the board, and that’s kind of the bottom line.” Before the game, Reese had been averaging 10.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. It was proof of her consistency on the glass and as a playmaker. But against Indiana, the entire team failed to find its footing. Naturally, it left Marsh to demand more from everyone, not just his rookie standout.