New-Look Dream Outlasts Fever In Double OT

STAR OF THE GAME Katie Douglas Douglas' all-around game included 22 points on 7-of-16 shooting, three 3-pointers, four assists and four steals. UNSUNG HERO Tully Bevilaqua In her first game off the bench in five years in a Fever uniform, Bevilaqua stablized the Fever lineup while scoring 18 points, one shy of her career high. Bevilaqua hit all three 3-point attempts, made 7-of-8 free throws and added five rebounds. QUOTABLE Lin Dunn On rebound deficit, and in general: “To be outrebounded 50-32 and still almost win the game is amazing, absolutely amazing!” “I thought we played well enough to win, but we had some mental mistakes. We battled, we fought and it was a war out there. Given the difference in rebounds, I’m amazed we had a chance to win. Give them [Atlanta] credit – they’re big, long, strong, deep. We missed some free throws and a couple layups that sure made a difference in a game as close as this.” Katie Douglas On mental mistakes “There were some little plays at the very end that were more glaring in such a close game. But Atlanta’s really good. Our team is so improved from last year’s team. The whole league is really improved across the board. It was a very close game. We had our chances to win, but those little mistakes were extra costly in such a close game.” HIDDEN NUMBERS Points in the paint: Fever 30, Dream 36 Second-chance points: Fever 10, Dream 17 Fast-break points: Fever 11, Dream 17 Points off turnovers: Fever 29, Dream 26 Starters scoring: Fever 66, Dream 53 Bench scoring: Fever 20, Dream 34

GAME REPORT
	Dream 87, Fever 86 (2OT)
June 6, 2009 at Philips Arena (Atlanta, Ga.) Box Score | Recap

ATLANTA - Chamique Holdsclaw was not going to let her first game in two years end up in a loss with the Atlanta Dream, even if it meant playing two extra periods with a balky knee. Holdsclaw scored 23 points to lead the Dream to an 87-86 double overtime victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night, in what was the season opener for both teams.

The six-time All-Star, who retired after playing just five games for Los Angeles in 2007, came two points short of becoming the ninth player in WNBA history to score 4,000 career points. She got her 300th career steal.

"Chamique is Chamique and she knows what to do to win,'' Dream coach Marynell Meadors said. "That's why she's here.''

Erika DeSouza added 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for Atlanta, which set a league record last season by losing its first 17 games. The Dream finished 1-16 at home. Dream rookie Angel McCoughtry scored 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Iziane Castro Marques and Teasley each finished with 10 points. McCoughtry, an All-American who led Louisville to the national title game, went 9 of 12 from the free throw line.

Katie Douglas led Indiana with 22 points. Tully Bevilaqua added 18 points and Tamika Catchings and Tammy Sutton-Brown each added 15 as the Fever kept pace with nine 3-point baskets and overcame a 50-32 rebounding deficit. Tied at 71 at the end of regulation, Indiana commanded its largest lead of the game, 76-71 in the first overtime, but couldn't closeout the win.

In the second overtime, the Dream jumped to an 85-81 advantage on jumpers by Coco Miller and Holdsclaw. Indiana cut the margin to a point on Douglas' layup with 1:15 left. Catchings, who went 5-for-18 from the floor, missed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer.

Atlanta was trailing near the end of the fourth quarter and overtime. But the Dream, a team that struggled to closeout late games last season, found a way to pullback in the closing moments of the period.

The Fever scored five straight points to begin overtime, sparked by Catchings' jumper to claim a 76-73 lead. Atlanta pulled within one point after a jumper by Holdsclaw and Castro Marques' layup with 1:45 left in OT. Holdsclaw hit two free throws to put the Dream ahead 77-76 with 22.8 seconds remaining. Indiana was called for a 5-second violation soon after, to turn the ball back over to the Dream. McCoughtry made the first of two foul shots to give Atlanta a two-point lead. The Fever tied the game at 79-79 on a layup with 11.6 second left by Sutton-Brown, who finished with 15 points.

Fever coach Lin Dunn pointed toward the 50-32 rebound advantage by the Dream. "They're good, they're big, they're strong, they're long, they're deep,'' Dunn said.