The Indiana Fever couldn't get a win in Tamika Catchings' season debut. They hope to have better luck in their next game against a team they've dominated at home.

The Fever look to win their 12th consecutive game against the New York Liberty at Conseco Fieldhouse when the teams meet Wednesday.

Catchings made her first appearance since last season's Eastern Conference finals Sunday, playing 12 minutes and finishing with two points and one rebound in Indiana's 70-60 loss to San Antonio.

The five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time defensive player of the year underwent surgery for a torn right Achilles' tendon in September. She was practicing at near full strength for two weeks before Sunday's game, but doctors had advised her coaches to limit Catchings to 10 minutes.

"I thought we used that time well," coach Lin Dunn said. "You saw flashes of her play."

The Fever (5-4) had won four of six before Sunday and hope Catchings, who led Indiana in scoring last year, can boost the league's second-lowest scoring offense (70.0 points per game).

Facing an opponent they've played well against also might help Wednesday. The Liberty (5-4) have lost 11 straight at Indianapolis, including two playoff games, since a 70-62 victory July 19, 2002. New York is 4-10 against Indiana on the road in the regular season and has lost the last three overall meetings.

While Indiana has Catchings back, center Tammy Sutton-Brown, who averages 9.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and a team-leading 1.4 blocks, is uncertain for Wednesday after missing Sunday's game with Achilles' tendinitis. With Catchings unlikely to play a full game against the Liberty, Indiana could find itself with a depleted frontcourt if Sutton-Brown can't go.

Catchings averaged 15.5 points in the four games against the Liberty last year - three of which Indiana won. New York, however, comes to Conseco Fieldhouse having won two straight and four of five, including a 77-76 win over Minnesota on Saturday.

The Liberty, who got a team-high 13 points from Cathrine Kraayeveld and Shameka Christon, held on to win despite nearly blowing a 16-point lead.

"We did a great job all game of playing our game," Kraayeveld said. "We focused on what we needed to do - play well defensively and offensively. It was just a great team effort."

In their two losses last year at Conseco Fieldhouse, New York was outscored by 19 and 16 points.