Indiana Fever (17-12) vs. Connecticut Sun (13-17)
Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Site: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Radio: None
Television: None
Webcast: Live webcast and stats can be accessed via WNBA Live Access on FeverBasketball.com. (Webcasts during games televised on FOX Sports Indiana may not be available in local market areas due to blackout restrictions.)
Storylines & Promotion
- With their next victory, the Indiana Fever will clinch their 11th consecutive playoff berth and set a new WNBA record. The Fever are currently tied for the league record with the Seattle Storm, who made 10 consecutive playoff appearances from 2004-13.
- Indiana (17-12) has now lost three consecutive games for the first time since beginning the season 0-3.
- Indiana looks to clinch its first winning record during the regular season for the first time since the 2012 campaign Tuesday night against the Connecticut Sun. If Indiana wins out, the Fever would tie the franchise record for most wins in a season (2009, 2012).
- With Indiana’s next victory, head coach Stephanie White will set the record for the most regular season wins by a first-year head coach in Fever franchise history. Lin Dunn went 17-17 in her first season as head coach in the 2008 season.
- White is three wins away from becoming the third rookie head coach in WNBA history to record at least 20 wins in his or her first year. Michael Cooper set the record with 28 wins during his first year as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2000.
- Tamika Catchings led the Fever with 22 points and 13 rebounds against the Shock on Sunday. She has now recorded six double-doubles this season and 96 in her WNBA career.
- Briann January’s status remains day-to-day after missing Sunday’s game at Tulsa with soreness in her back and left knee.
Probable Starters
Fever – F-Tamika Catchings, F-Marissa Coleman, C-Lynetta Kizer, G-Shenise Johnson, G-Layshia Clarendon
Sun – F- Jennifer Lacy, F- Camille Little, C- Kelsey Bone, G-Kelly Faris, G-Jasmine Thomas
Last Meeting
(August 2, 2015) Shenise Johnson scored all 16 of her points in the second half, Erlana Larkins added 10 points and 13 rebounds and the Indiana Fever rallied to beat the Connecticut Sun for the second time in six days, 83-70 on Sunday. Connecticut led by 11 after one quarter and had a nine-point lead at halftime, but Johnson, Larkins and Briann January led Indiana’s second-half comeback. January finished with 12 points. Kelsey Bone led
Connecticut with 20 points, and Alyssa Thomas had 18.
Last Games
Fever: (August 30, 2015) The Fever were limited to just 13 points in the final quarter and were unable to clinch their 11th consecutive playoff appearance as they fell, 70-76, in Tulsa Sunday afternoon. The Shock raced out to a 17-point advantage in the first quarter as Indiana shot just 6-for-20 from the field in the opening frame; but the Fever were able to rally as they closed the deficit to two points, 36-38, before halftime and eventually took a five-point lead midway through the third before entering the fourth quarter tied at 57. In the final quarter, the Fever committed eight costly turnovers that resulted in 11 Tulsa points that would help end the franchise’s longest road winning streak at four games. Tamika Catchings led Indiana with 22 points and 13 rebounds, the 96th double-double of her career.
Sun: (August 30, 2015) Kelsey Bone scored 25 points as Connecticut snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 72-68 road victory over the Chicago Sky on Sunday evening. Chicago led by 12 points late in the third quarter, but the Sun countered in the final period as they used a 13-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to flip a nine-point deficit into a 66-62 lead with 2:53 to play. After drawing a key offensive foul call on Chicago guard Courtney Vandersloot as the Sky had a chance to retake the lead with 27 seconds remaining, Bone and guard Jasmine Thomas combined for three clutch free throws down the stretch to help seal the victory.
Series
After taking the first three meetings this season with Connecticut, the Fever are looking to sweep the regular season series over the Sun for the first time in the history of the series that dates back to the 2000 season. Indiana holds a 16-14 record over the Sun at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.