Turnovers Prove Costly For Fever

STAR OF THE GAME TAN WHITE White had a game-high 18 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the field. It was the fifth time this season that White scored in double figures off the bench for the Fever. UNSUNG HERO ANNA DEFORGE DeForge provided the bulk of Indiana’s offense early in the game. She finished with 12 points including a pair of 3’s. QUOTABLE BRIAN WINTERS In general: “I thought they (Sacramento) played well. I thought their defensive intensity took us out of our offense. We had about ten turnovers in the first couple of minutes and then things just snowballed. Let’s face it, they outplayed us from the start. We need to regroup and go play a big game in Washington.” TAMIKA CATCHINGS In general: “We didn’t come out with the intensity we needed as a team. We weren’t focused as a team and we turned the ball over way too many times to start.” HIDDEN NUMBERS Points in the paint: Fever 24, Monarchs 36 Second-chance points: Fever 10, Monarchs 6 Fast-break points: Fever 8, Monarchs 11 Points off turnovers: Fever 13, Monarchs 19 Starters scoring: Fever 30, Monarchs 35 Bench scoring: Fever 31, Monarchs 47

GAME REPORT
	Monarchs 82, Fever 61
June 25, 2006 at Arco Arena (Sacramento, CA) Box Score | WNBA Recap

SACRAMENTO, CA – Indiana turned the ball over a season-high 20 times and saw its top scorer held without a field goal before dropping an 82-61 decision to the WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs Sunday night in Arco Arena.

Tan White led all scorers with 18 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, on 8-of-16 shooting. It was the fifth time this season White finished in double figures off the bench for Indiana. Anna DeForge followed with 12 points and three rebounds for the Fever which fell to 10-5 this season.

Sacramento got 47 points from its bench, including 11 apiece for Erin Buescher and DeMya Walker. Yolanda Griffith also had 11 and finished with a game-high eight rebounds for the Monarchs which improved its record to 7-6.

The Fever scored the first bucket of the game on a Tamika Catchings lay-up moments after the opening tip. It was the last time Indiana led in the contest. The Fever turned the ball over ten times in the first quarter and shot just 2-of-11 from the field before trailing 16-7 after one.

The Fever’s offense was out of sync for the entire quarter, going nearly nine minutes between field goals. Indiana’s seven points scored in the first period was its lowest total for a single quarter this season.

Sacramento continued to pour it on early in the second, outscoring Indiana 13-2 to open the period. A Ticha Penicheiro jumper midway through the quarter would give the Monarchs a 20-point lead, 29-9. Sacramento led by as many as 22 in the second quarter.

The Fever was able to close the gap late in the first half. Indiana outscored Sacramento 12-4 to close the second quarter, including scoring six unanswered. The Monarchs, though, led 39-25 at the half. Tamika Whitmore, who entered the game as Indiana’s leading scorer at 16.8 per, was held scoreless in the first half, shooting 0-3 from the field. Whitmore finished with two points in the game on a pair of free throws.

After seeing its deficit return to 20 points, the Fever was able to cut the Monarchs’ lead back down to 14 on a 3-pointer from DeForge at the 4:09 mark of the third quarter. The two clubs traded baskets for the duration of the period before Sacramento’s Kim Smith netted a 3-point shot from the corner at the buzzer, giving the Monarchs a 57-39 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.