Near-Perfect Catchings Paces Fever to Third Straight Road Win
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The Indiana Fever certainly have enjoyed playing on the road. So much so that perennial All-Star Tamika Catchings was nearly perfect on Tuesday during a 92-84 Fever victory over the Connecticut Sun.
Indiana, just 4-6 overall, won its third straight road game, nearly running away with a third straight double-figure road margin until Connecticut staged a near-record comeback in the final minutes. It was Indiana’s first road win at Connecticut since 2011, snapping a seven-game road losing streak to the Sun. Remarkably, Indiana is 3-2 on the road this season with its string of consecutive wins matching a franchise record for the seventh time.
The 35-year old Catchings played in the 400th game of her WNBA career and became the fourth player in league history with 3,000 rebounds. She finished with game highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds to register the 93rd double-double of her career. Remarkably, she didn’t miss a shot until 8:06 remained in the contest, finishing 9-of-10 from the floor with four 3-pointers. She also was perfect on four free throws.
PHOTO GALLERY: Fever 92, Sun 84 »
She is just 14 rebounds from becoming the No. 3 career rebounder in league history.
Asked in a postgame interview about a vintage Catchings evening, White responded, “She certainly dipped into the well for us a couple of times tonight.”
“You can tell when Tamika is feeling well. Today was one of those days. We put the ball in her hands. She’s just a rock and it’s no surprise why she has been such a rock for this franchise for so many years.”
Deadlocked at 31 with nine lead changes and seven ties by the early moments of the second quarter, the stage was set for a 40-minute nailbiter. From that point though, Catchings and Indiana outscored the home team 43-20 over the next 17 minutes to command a 23-point lead, 74-51, with 1:48 left in the third.
The Fever maintained a 76-55 advantage early in the fourth when the Sun awoke to swing the pendulum. Seven minutes and a 24-7 spurt later, the Sun had raged within 83-79 and still 2:23 to play. Kelsey Bone scored 10 during the period for Connecticut and Indianapolis native Alex Bentley contributed nine.
Who else would play hero for Indiana, but Catchings?
The former MVP calmly pocketed a baseline jumper for a six-point advantage. Bentley pulled the Sun within three, 85-82, on a 3-pointer with 1:05 left but on the same play, Bone was whistled for a flagrant foul that resulted in her ejection and a pair of free throws by Natalie Achonwa.
Achonwa’s free throws, plus two more from Catchings and a steal by Catchings, helped put the game on ice for Indiana to snap a two-game losing skid and put a halt to the Sun’s seven-game win streak.
Bentley capped an 18-point evening with a layup in the final minute, but free throws from Layshia Clarendon and Shenise Johnson sealed the first road win by either team in the Sun-Fever series since 2012.
Bone paced the Sun with 21 points. Also in double figures for Connecticut were Jasmine Thomas, with 14, and Alyssa Thomas and Camille Little, each with 12.
Johnson added 13 points and Achonwa had 10 in a balanced scoring effort for Indiana. Lynetta Kizer, Natasha Howard and Maggie Lucas each pitched in nine off the bench, combining to shoot 11-of-16 among them. Lucas was forced out of the game with an injured hip with 44 seconds remaining.
Tied at 31, Johnson scored six points during an 8-0 Fever run to command a 39-31 advantage and eventually take a 49-44 lead into the locker room. And at that time, Catchings was still perfect – 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists at the break, while perfect on 5-of-5 shooting with two 3-pointers.
Catchings’ near perfection and Indiana’s new up-tempo offense produced a season-high 92 points and the Fever’s most points in a regular season road game since a 104-82 win at Phoenix in August 2010. The Fever shot a season-best 55 percent from the floor, including 8-of-13 (62 percent) from 3-point range.
The Fever returns to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for a four-game homestand beginning Thursday against the Washington Mystics (7:00 p.m., 107.5/1070 The Fan).