Shock-Fever Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Sep 22 2012 6:09PM

After using their depth to snap one of their longest losing streaks of the season, the Indiana Fever might have to rely on it again as they try to secure a piece of team history and head into the playoffs with some momentum.

That's because the status of three starters is unknown for Sunday's regular-season finale against the visiting Tulsa Shock.

Katie Douglas was recovering from an illness and sat out Friday's game at Washington, as did guards Shavonte Zellous and Briann January while dealing with concussion symptoms. Reserve Karima Christmas left in the second quarter for undisclosed reasons and didn't return.

In their places, Erin Phillips scored a season-high 19 points in a 66-53 win, and Jessica Davenport added 14 as Indiana (21-12) avoided a season-high fourth straight loss.

"It's like good news, bad news. The bad news is we've got some people sick or hurt. But the good news is that gives all these other players quality time in a very competitive situation," coach Lin Dunn said. "We're playing to win. We feel like this is gonna help our bench going into the playoffs."

With this game virtually meaningless, Dunn may want to rest her injured players and that means the reserves might have to step up again if the Fever want to match their franchise-record 22 wins from 2009. Indiana advanced to the WNBA finals that year and finished one victory short of a title.

The Fever will face Atlanta in the first round of this year's postseason, beginning Friday at home, but first will try to post a fifth straight victory over Tulsa (9-24).

Indiana escaped Oklahoma with a 73-70 win over the Shock on June 23 by scoring six of the game's final nine points. Tamika Catchings, who hit two late free throws, had a team-best 16 points, and Glory Johnson scored 22 for Tulsa.

The Shock enter this matchup after their longest win streak in three seasons in Tulsa came to an end Saturday. They had won three straight before blowing a 10-point halftime lead in a 91-74 loss at New York, getting outscored 24-9 in the third quarter.

Johnson was the only starter in double figures with 11 points, and Ivory Latta had a team-best 16.

Tulsa is seeking to record double-digit victories for the first time since relocating from Detroit after the 2009 season. The Shock's current win total matches their output from each of the previous two campaigns.

Phillips scores 21 in Fever win over Shock

Posted Sep 23 2012 7:37PM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Erin Phillips matched a career high with 21 points, and the Indiana Fever beat the Tulsa Shock 91-58 in the regular-season finale for both teams on Sunday night.

Tamika Catchings added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Fever. Catchings posted her 82 career double-double, breaking a second-place tie in WNBA history with Yolanda Griffith. Lisa Leslie has the record with 157.

The Fever (22-12) matched their franchise record for wins in a season. Indiana had lost three straight before beating Washington on Friday.

Ivory Latta led the Shock (9-25) with 16 points. Scholanda Dorrell scored 14, Amber Holt had 10, and Glory Johnson added eight points and 11 rebounds for Tulsa.

Indiana held the Shock to 32.1 percent shooting, the lowest by a Fever opponent this season. The Fever also outscored the Shock 24-14 from the free-throw line.

Indiana, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, will host the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the series on Friday. The Dream beat the Fever last year in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Fever won easily despite playing without three starters. Katie Douglas sat out with an illness, and guards Briann January and guard Shavonte Zellous missed the game due to concussion-like symptoms. Indiana was unable to rest starters because it had only eight active players.

Catchings scored only nine points against Washington on Friday, just the second time this season she failed to score at least 10. She bounced back by making 7 of 10 shots from the field.

Jessica Davenport scored 18 points, and Karima Christmas added a season-high 10 for Indiana.

Indiana outscored the Shock 25-8 in the second quarter and held them to 2-for-14 shooting in the period. The Fever trailed 24-18 at the end of the first quarter but led 43-32 at the break. Catchings had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, and Jeanette Pohlen added 10 points.

The Fever opened the third quarter on a 5-0 run, leading to a timeout by the Shock. Tulsa didn't score for the first 2:30 of the period. The Fever took a 71-43 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Fever had seven turnovers in the first quarter, but just 10 the rest of the game.

• Shock: --
• Fever: --

• Shock: --
• Fever: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #38 Lamont Simpson, #45 Tom Mauer, #24 Tony Dawkins
• Attendance: 9225
• Duration: 1:54