The Indiana Fever took the court in San Antonio hungry for a much needed win after dropping their last three games but would find their appetite matched by a two-win Stars team. A resilient fourth quarter performance from the Fever led to an 84-75 victory, giving them their second road win of the season.
Tamika Catchings found her stroke early as she put in 10 of her game-high 23 points in the first half, knocking down shots from inside and out. The Fever would take a commanding lead in the first half with an impressive defensive effort, holding the Stars to 29 points as they took a 13-point advantage into the intermission.
San Antonio gained traction in the third period with a run that nullified Indiana’s first half efforts. The Fever would find themselves flustered offensively, handing over eight turnovers in the third quarter alone which lead to a tie game heading into the final period.
Indiana regained their composure in the fourth quarter though, knocking down a few quick shots and playing their signature brand of physical defense to give them a lead that they would extend through the final buzzer.
“Regardless of the outcome, it felt good for us to play well together. We tried to give it away in the third quarter, but I was proud of the way we re-grouped. Our team did some things tonight that we have to do to be successful. One, we stayed together, and two, we really shared the ball well,” stated Coach White postgame.
Lynetta Kizer came to play on Friday night, cashing in shots at critical moments on her way to 13 points for the night. Brian January struggled with her shot but dished out a game-high eight assists as she created opportunities for her teammates.
The Fever hit half of their shots from the field which was a vast improvement from their recent outings. Indiana also made 46% of their three-point attempts, taking what the defensive gave them and resisting the urge to force up long range attempts.
After the game, Catchings spoke on what led to her team’s improved performance. “We had a really good practice yesterday and we got back to having fun the past few days. Tonight, we came out with a lot of energy and we had some really true focus. It was a matter of us coming together after San Antonio got back in it. I’m proud of our team for pulling together at crunch time. We stayed confident and we kept the ball moving.”
Indiana will look to recreate this winning recipe back in Indianapolis on Sunday, June 19, at 2 p.m. when they take on the New York Liberty in a Father’s Day matchup. Get your tickets »»