NEW YORK, Aug. 8 (Ticker) -- The Indiana Fever jumped out quickly and never looked back.

Tamika Whitmore scored 14 points as the Fever dominated the first and third quarters en route to a 77-44 demolition of the New York Liberty.

Anna DeForge contributed 13 points and Tamika Catchings 12 for Indiana (20-11), which won its third straight game to move within one game of Detroit (21-10) for second place in the Eastern Conference.

Cathrine Kraayeveld scored 13 points and Ashley Battle added 10 for New York (9-23), which was coming off a 65-53 loss to Detroit on Sunday. The Liberty scored only six points in the first quarter of that contest and repeated that performance again Tuesday, getting outscored by a 19-6 margin in the opening period.

New York trailed 11-0 midway through the first quarter and made just 2-of-11 shots in the session. After a respectable second period, the Liberty were outscored, 21-5, in the third quarter to end any realistic hopes of a comeback.

DeForge also grabbed eight rebounds to pace the Fever, who held a 33-19 advantage on the boards in addition to forcing 22 turnovers.

Indiana has won six straight meetings with New York, which absorbed its worst loss of the season.