Katie Lou Samuelson

With a thrilling, one-point victory over the Chicago Sky not far removed, and meeting No. 2 trending in a similar, back-and-forth direction, Katie Lou Samuelson decided to get the "last-second, hero shot" train rolling just a few quarters early. Subtle in pacing herself towards one of her hotspots along the above-the-break area, Samuelson takes advantage of Chicago’s decision to crowd her All-Star teammate, letting fly a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer before the halftime horn. It marked Samuelson’s third triple — all from nearly the same area — of the first half, prompting Indiana’s four-point advantage. Among the WNBA’s most accurate high-volume snipers from that area, Samuelson shot her way into a nine-point, two-rebound, one-assist, two-block performance (on an efficient three-of-four shooting) on June 16, 2024. The reward came through the Indiana Fever’s victory, the second in what would ultimately become a four-game streak, and, of equal importance, a standings edge against a like-minded postseason contender.