Fever Escapes Detroit In OT To Force Game 3

STAR OF THE GAME Tamika Catchings Catchings scored a game-high 27 points while pulling down 10 rebounds to keep the Fever's season alive. UNSUNG HERO Tammy Sutton-Brown A rough outing in Game 1 didn't stop Sutton-Brown from attacking the rim. She finished with 19 points including 13-of-14 shooting from the free throw line. UNSUNG HERO Ebony Hoffman Hoffman sank two clutch 3's, one in the 4th quarter and one in OT, on her way to 15 points and 12 rebounds. QUOTABLE Tamika Catchings "The big thing for me was to stay positive. I knew people would be looking to me. We fought too hard to get to that point, to let that game get away." Lin Dunn In General: “I thought the difference in the game was at the free-throw line. We were able to attack in the paint and the free throws were huge for us. Also, we stepped up and hit 11 three-pointers. If you knock down three’s and do well at the free throw line then you have a chance to win.” HIDDEN NUMBERS Points in the paint: Fever 8, Shock 38 Second-chance points: Fever 10, Shock 14 Fast-break points: Fever 0, Shock 12 Points off turnovers: Fever 8, Shock 18 Starters scoring: Fever 77, Shock 57 Bench scoring: Fever 12, Shock 25

GAME REPORT
	Fever 89, Shock 82
September 21, 2008 at The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit, MI) Box Score | WNBA Recap

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Tamika Catchings had 27 points and 10 rebounds and the Indiana Fever beat the Detroit Shock 89-82 in overtime on Saturday to force a decisive third game in the Eastern Conference playoff series.

Game 3 is Tuesday night in Auburn Hills.

Indiana came into the game with a 0-4 record against the Shock this season, including Detroit's win in Game 1 on Friday night.

The teams made the first 43 free throws of the game before Tammy Sutton-Brown's miss with 24.8 seconds left. That left Detroit down three, and Katie Smith could only split a pair from the line at the other end.

Katie Douglas then hit one of two, leaving the Fever up 73-70 with 13.8 seconds to go. Yinka Sanni's layup made it 73-72, but Catchings made two more free throws to restore the three-point edge.

Deanna Nolan, though, came back down the floor and hit a 3-pointer with 6 seconds to play, forcing the extra session.

The Shock, though, struggled to hit inside, and Indiana clinched the game with consecutive 3-pointers by Ebony Hoffman and Tully Bevilaqua.

Hoffman, who also had a key 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Tammy Sutton-Brown had 19 points for Indiana.

Nolan scored 16 points for Detroit, as did Plenette Pierson before leaving the game with a fourth-quarter shoulder injury.

Indiana never trailed in the first half, and took a 42-38 advantage at the intermission behind 15 points from Catchings and 10 from Sutton-Brown.

The Fever expanded the lead to nine, 49-40, early in the third quarter and continued to fight off Detroit's attempts to rally. The Shock got as close as three, but Indiana was back up 55-46 at period's end.

Pierson had six points in an 8-0 run that pulled the Shock within 57-56 with 7:15 left.

Indiana was still holding the one-point lead when Pierson injured her right shoulder during a scuffle with Hoffman that saw both players given technical fouls.

The Fever only hit one field goal in the first 9 minutes of the fourth, but made enough free throws to keep the lead until Nolan hit two free throws to put Detroit up 69-68 with 1:09 to go.

Hoffman, though, answered with a 3-pointer after Smith stumbled on defense.