Final
Fever-Sun Preview
Jul 18, 2009 - 8:12 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior WriterIndiana (11-2) at Connecticut (7-6), 3:00 p.m. EDT
Three years after having their 12-game winning streak snapped by the Indiana Fever, the Connecticut Sun can return the favor.
The Fever look to match the Sun's Eastern Conference record for consecutive wins Sunday as the teams square off for the second time this month.
Connecticut's conference-record win streak reached 11 with a 71-63 victory over Indiana on Aug. 9, 2006, but the Sun committed 18 turnovers two days later in an 87-68 loss in the finale of that home-and-home series.
Now the Fever (11-2) seek their 12th win in a row, hoping to cut down on mistakes as they open a three-game road trip. They beat Atlanta 84-79 on Friday night despite committing 19 turnovers, the same total they had July 2 in a 67-53 home win over the Sun (7-6).
Tamika Catchings believes Indiana needs to be less careless during the trip, which continues Tuesday against Washington before ending Thursday at San Antonio.
"The turnovers ... we're not going to be able to get away with on the road," Catchings said. "We have a big test ahead of us, but I think if we all stick together and do the little things that have made us win and made us get to this point, we'll be all right."
On Sunday, Indiana can match the third-longest win streak in WNBA history. The league record is 18 in a row, set by Los Angeles in 2001.
The Fever have held four teams below 60 points during their run. They limited the Sun to 12 points or fewer in three quarters, beating Connecticut for the fifth time in six meetings - including two of three in the first round of the 2007 playoffs.
Katie Douglas and Tammy Sutton-Brown each had 14 points for Indiana in its last meeting with Connecticut. Douglas had 25 points Friday and is averaging a team-high 16.8.
The Sun got a big game from Asjha Jones in a 72-64 win over San Antonio on Friday night. Jones finished with 17 points, hitting two key shots after Connecticut saw its lead dwindle to one with under 2 minutes left.
"They can trap me in the post, but they can't really trap me in the perimeter," said Jones, averaging a team-high 16.9 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Jones' presence in the paint, though, has become even more important with backup forward Tamika Whitmore out for the next two weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery. Her absence also expands the role of bench players such as Tan White.
The veteran guard had 15 points against the Silver Stars, but had three turnovers and three fouls in 15 minutes in the last contest with the Fever.
- WNBA
INDIANA 61
CONNECTICUT 67 FINAL
Jul 19 5:18 PM - WNBA
INDIANA 16
CONNECTICUT 12 END, 1ST QTR
Jul 19 3:27 PM
Related News
- Fever name Marianne Stanley as new head coach; Catchings adds GM duties Nov 26
- WNBA Capsules May 21
- WNBA Capsules May 18
- Bye bye Birdie? Storm's Sue Bird not ready to walk away yet May 18
- WNBA Capsules May 14
- Vandersloot, Pondexter help Sky cruise to 93-70 win over Sun May 14
- WNBA set to tip off 20th season this weekend May 13
- Fever's Catchings cherishing every moment of farewell tour May 11
- Indiana trades Layshia Clarendon to Atlanta for draft pick May 10
- Army star Kelsey Minato gets a chance to play in WNBA May 7
- Taurasi, Catchings, Bird headline US women's Olympic team Apr 27
- UConn trio look to make history at WNBA draft Apr 14