Fever's Sydney Colson hops on Duke's hype train with 5-word praise for sturdy defense

Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson has expressed her reaction to Duke University’s March Madness run after they advanced to the Elite Eight. The Blue Devils took down the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, led by Cooper Flagg, through a mix of their offensive and defensive brilliance.

On Friday, Colson praised Duke’s defensive effort, expressing her fondness for their play that side, which propelled them to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

“I like how Duke defends,” Colson tweeted.

Colson could be referring to how the Blue Devils defended the paint as they tallied seven blocks in the Sweet 16 game to stifle Arizona.

In the game, Flagg, the consensus top pick in the NBA draft, put up 30 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead Duke.

Colson’s defense has been her calling card in her WNBA career. She has played as a backup for most of her career, spending the last three seasons with the Las Vegas Aces, winning two titles in 2022 and 2023.

The 10-season veteran will be playing on her sixth team in the WNBA as she joined the Fever to help them in their playoff bid next season. Last year, Indiana reached the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Colson is set to join Fever star and former WNBA top pick Caitlin Clark, who is seen to be the focal point of the team next season. Colson averaged 2.5 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.5 steals per game last season for the Aces.

Sydney Colson reflects on the Indiana Fever’s veteran signings

Sydney Colson was one of the several veterans the Indiana Fever acquired in the offseason to bolster their lineup for their 2025 campaign. In an interview with the team on Wednesday, Colson spoke about the Fever’s veteran signings and how it will help the team.

"I think it's gonna be like a huge part of what can take this team and what usually takes teams over that hump," Colson said (Timestamp: 13:20). "You now have people who have been in that situation so when you're in a timeout and maybe you start reeling and feeling something is a bigger deal than it is, they're composed and calm."

Aside from Colson, the Fever got DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Brianna Turner in the offseason while re-signing two-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Mitchell.

The Fever got bounced out in the first round last season after finishing the regular season with a 20-20 record, which is good for the sixth spot.

During their playoff experience, the Fever’s youthfulness was apparent on the court, prompting the front office to pursue veterans this offseason.