• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Sun-Fever Preview

Jul 1, 2009 - 6:43 PM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Connecticut (4-3) at Indiana (6-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Connecticut Sun coach Mike Thibault has to be pleased with the way his team has rebounded from an inauspicious start to the season.

The Sun, however, still have a ways to go before their turnaround can be considered comparable to the Indiana Fever's.

The Fever go for their franchise-record seventh consecutive win Thursday night when they host the Sun, riding a three-game streak of their own.

After losing its first two games of the year, Indiana (6-2) has rebounded with six straight victories by an average of 8.8 points. The Fever, who also won six straight in July 2007, have overcome their slow start to take over the best record in the Eastern Conference.

"As a team, we're playing with a lot of confidence," forward Tamika Catchings said after finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in a 63-54 win over New York on Saturday night. "It seems like the chemistry is there and that's something we've worked so hard to get over the years."

Indiana had four players scored in double figures and went 9 for 20 (45.0 percent) from 3-point range Saturday. It was the fourth time during their winning streak the Fever made nine 3-pointers, and they have no intention of letting up.

"We're on a pretty good roll, but nothing is promised," said forward Ebony Hoffman, who was 3 for 3 from beyond the arc against the Liberty. "We can't think we're going to win every game because every team has beefed up their roster. Right now, we're just trying to ride this wave and hopefully it keeps going."

The Sun (4-3) are hoping the same thing after finishing a perfect three-game homestand. Connecticut won each game by at least 13 points, posting an average margin of victory of 19.0 after dropping three of its first four contests this year.

Asjha Jones had a season-high 24 points and a career high-tying 12 rebounds to lead the Sun to an 82-68 win over Atlanta on Saturday night.

"This was a really, really good win," said Thibault, whose club was without rookie center Chante Black because of a sprained elbow. "Seeing as how we were short-handed, I thought we did a good job of balancing what we needed to do."

The Fever won two of three against the Sun last season, and the teams split two meetings at Conseco Fieldhouse. Indiana forward Katie Douglas averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the two wins but was held to eight points, four rebounds and two assists in the defeat.

Jones, who averaged a career-high 17.0 points in 2008, scored 12.7 per game against the Fever.