Game Information
Date: Saturday, July 13, 2013
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Site: Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.)
Broadcast Information
Television - None
Radio - The Fan 1070 AM/ 107.5 FM
Webcast - Live webcast and stats can be accessed via WNBA Live Access on FeverBasketball.com
Storylines & Promotions
� The Indiana Fever (4-8) battles the New York Liberty (6-7) for the second time this season, visiting Prudential Center for a Saturday evening tip at 6:00 p.m. It is the second of five meetings between the clubs overall. The Liberty won an overtime contest on June 5 and the series continues again in 10 days in Indianapolis, July 23.
� A Fever win against New York would be Indiana�s fourth in five games. A win could pull Indiana within a �-game of New York in fourth place in the East standings. A loss would send Indiana to its second straight defeat and its ninth loss in 13 games.
� The Fever�s modest three-game win streak matched the Los Angeles Sparks with the WNBA�s longest win streak, before Indiana fell to Minnesota on Thursday, 69-62. After slipping to 1-7 early in the season with a rash of injuries, Indiana got healthy during a four-game homestand in which beat Tulsa, Seattle and Connecticut in succession.
� Against Minnesota, Indiana stayed within striking distance throughout the contest while threatening an upset before 10,230 on Kids Day. Fever guard Erin Phillips made her 2013 debut after surgery to repair a torn meniscus on May 22. She sparked Indiana off the bench with three assists and eight points, including a pair of deep 3-pointers.
� An Indiana lineup featuring Erin Phillips, Briann January, Shavonte Zellous, Tamika Catchings and Erlana Larkins appeared on the floor for the first time this season, midway through the second quarter, showing glimpses of the chemistry that led Indiana to the 2012 WNBA championship. It was that lineup that started all four games of last year�s WNBA Finals.
� Fifty-one-and-a-half (51.5) games have been lost by Fever players due to injury this season. Through 12 games, that is an average of 4.29 players lost per game. Twelve games have been missed by Jeanette Pohlen and Jessica Davenport; 11 were missed by Erin Phillips; ten have been missed by Katie Douglas; three have been missed by Layshia Clarendon, two by Tamika Catchings, one by Jessica Breland and a half was missed by Briann January.
� The Fever enters Saturday�s contest 1 � games behind New York and Washington who are tied for third place in the East. The Fever is vying for a ninth consecutive WNBA playoff appearance and its 10th in 14 seasons of existence.
Probable Starters
Fever: F - Tamika Catchings, C - Erlana Larkins, G - Karima Christma, G - Shavonte Zellous, G - Briann January
Sun: F - Kelsey Bone, F - Toni Young, C - Kara Braxton, G - Cappie Pondexter, G - Katie Smith
Last Meeting
The Fever commanded a big lead early on the strength of 47 percent shooting in the opening period when the teams met at Prudential Center on June 5. Tamika Catchings had 12 points in the opening quarter and Shavonte Zellous had 10. In the fourth quarter though, Indiana made just 3 of 16 shots as New York rallied from an 11-point, third quarter deficit. The Liberty overcame a nearly 7 1/2 minute drought without a basket itself to force overtime. Indiana took a 68-67 lead in overtime on Briann January's jumper with 2:35 left, but it wasn�t enough to stave off a 75-68 victory for New York. Catchings paced Indiana with 21 points and eight rebounds. Zellous added 15 points and January finished with 13 points and five assists.
Last Games
Fever vs. Lynx: The Minnesota Lynx beat the Indiana Fever 69-62 in a rematch of last season's WNBA Finals Thursday afternoon. Indiana cut the lead to 46-45 late in the third quarter, but Minnesota answered with a 6-0 run to push the margin back to seven. The Fever shot 34 percent from the field (21-of-61) and Catchings was held to nine points on 2-of-10 shooting. She did, however, add pace Indiana with 10 rebounds and five steals. Shavonte Zellous led the Fever with 14 points.
Liberty vs.Storm : Plenette Pierson scored nine of her 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Liberty recovered after giving up nearly all of a 19-point lead in the third quarter and beat the Seattle Storm 66-57 on Tuesday night. Cappie Pondexter finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Katie Smith scored five points as the Liberty scored 11 consecutive points to take an 11-3 lead just more than 4 minutes into the game.
Series
Indiana boasts a 29-19 series lead over the Liberty including a loss at Prudential Center on June 5 and a 3-1 mark in 2012. Indiana has won the season series with New York in every season since 2003, except for 2010 and 2011 when the clubs split 2-2 in both seasons. After losing 8 of 9 bouts from 2000-02 in the Fever�s infancy, Indiana is 28-11 since 2003..