Fever-Shock Preview

Posted Jun 22 2012 2:21PM

The Indiana Fever hope the momentum of their best performance of the season carries into a three-game road trip, especially considering they've yet to win away from home this month.

They'll try to avoid their longest road losing streak in nearly four years Saturday night when they meet the league-worst Tulsa Shock.

Indiana (6-4) had lost four of five before routing Connecticut 95-61 on Thursday night, hitting a franchise-record 15 3-pointers.

"It was by far the best game we've played this year," coach Lin Dunn told the team's official website.

Reigning MVP Tamika Catchings had another solid all-around game with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but it was the Fever's outside shooting that stole the show.

Six Indiana players hit 3-pointers, including four from Briann January as she scored a season-high 20. Jeanette Pohlen also hit four 3s for all 12 of her points, Erin Phillips knocked down three en route to a season-high 14 points and the Fever shot a season-best 54.5 percent from the field.

"We're starting to find our groove as a team," said Phillips, who has totaled 25 points in two games since returning from a stint with the Australian national team.

"We're a team that can still build on things and get better. We're definitely a team that's not satisfied."

Indiana now heads on a trip which begins in Tulsa and ends with games on back-to-back days against Atlanta and Chicago.

The Fever have lost all three of their games away from home this month after going 2-for-2 in May. They haven't dropped four consecutive road games since a five-game skid June 20-July 8, 2008.

Tulsa (1-10) hadn't won anywhere in 10 months before defeating Phoenix 87-75 on Sunday. However, the Shock followed with a 95-79 loss at Los Angeles on Wednesday for their ninth consecutive road loss.

Now they look to a six-game homestand to try and turn around the season, but it begins against an Indiana team which rolled to an 85-65 win in its only visit to Tulsa in 2011.

The Fever have won the last three meetings overall as Katie Douglas has averaged 16.7 points. She's scored a combined 40 in her last two games.

Douglas could be in for another strong night against a Tulsa team which has given up an average of 89.4 points over its past five games.

The Shock had five different players score in double figures Wednesday, led by Glory Johnson's 19 points.

Former Oklahoma Sooners star Courtney Paris had 11 points and eight rebounds in her debut for Tulsa. The No. 7 overall pick in 2009 was signed this week, having been waived earlier this season by Atlanta.

"We only had Courtney for one practice, and I thought she did a good job. She's someone we can utilize for sure," coach Gary Kloppenburg told the team's official website. "This a good chance for Courtney to get in the best shape she's been in, so she can get stability in her career. I think it can work for her here."

Sutto-Brown, Catchings lift Fever past Shock

Posted Jun 23 2012 11:15PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Tammy Sutton-Brown made a tiebreaking free throw with 37 seconds to play and Tamika Catchings added a key offensive rebound, assist and a pair of free throws down the stretch to lead the Fever to a 73-70 win over the Tulsa Shock on Saturday night.

Sutton-Brown's free throw gave the Fever (7-4) the lead for good, 68-67. She missed the second attempt and Catchings, who had a team-high 16 points, came up with the rebound. The reigning WNBA MVP then passed it to Erin Phillips for a 3-pointer from the right wing with 16 seconds remaining.

Tulsa's Temeka Johnson made a 3 to bring the Shock (1-11) within one with 12 seconds to play, but Catchings added two free throws 3 seconds later for the final margin.

``I guess you could say the final 3 minutes was `Catchings time,''' Indiana coach Lin Dunn said.

Ivory Latta missed a game-tying 3-point attempt with 3 seconds to go.

Rookie Gloria Johnson scored a season-high 22 points to lead Tulsa. Temeka Johnson added 17 points, Courtney Paris had 10 points and 11 rebounds and Latta also scored 10.

Katie Douglas scored 14 points for Indiana, including a 3 that put the Fever ahead 65-54 with 4:48 remaining.

The Shock then went on a 14-3 run, tying the score at 67 on Johnson's two free throws with about 53 seconds left.

``I thought they would make a run,'' Dunn said. ``I knew they would not go away. But we kept our poise and composure. We did what we needed to do to win.''

Indiana held Tulsa to just nine points in the first quarter and led by as many as 13 before taking a 33-22 lead at halftime despite shooting just 32 percent from the field.

The 22 points were first-half season low for Tulsa, which has now lost 17 of its last 18 games dating back to last season.

The game featured the first matchup between Tulsa coach Garry Kloppenburg and the Indiana team for which he served as an assistant from 2008-11. The Fever had 20-win seasons in each of his last three years with the team.

``She (Dunn) has been really supportive,'' Kloppenburg said of the Fever's coach. ``She told me that we are going in the right direction and that we just have to hang in there with our younger players. She has been a great mentor for me.''

• Fever: --
• Shock: --

• Fever: --
• Shock: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
• Officials: #35 Billy Smith, #53 Jeff Smith, #24 Tony Dawkins
• Attendance: 4209
• Duration: 2:09