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Fever-Mystics Preview

Jul 20, 2009 - 5:39 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Indiana (11-3) at Washington (7-6), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Indiana Fever remain confident, even after a poor shooting performance ended their franchise-record winning streak. They didn't bounce back very well, though, following last season's matchup at Washington.

Coming off their worst game of the year, the Fever look to avenge a road loss to the Mystics as the teams meet for the first time this season Tuesday night.

Indiana (11-3) had won 11 straight before shooting a season-worst 28.8 percent in a 67-61 loss at Connecticut on Sunday. The Fever had the longest winning streak in the WNBA since 2006, when the Sun won 12 in a row.

Though Eastern Conference-leading Indiana lacked its usual balance offensively, the team doesn't seem to be doubting itself heading into its final two games before the All-Star break.

"We may get beat, but we're not going to quit," coach Lin Dunn said.

Last year, however, Indiana struggled after losing 50-48 at Washington on July 8 - a game in which both teams shot worse than 35 percent. The Fever were 9-8 entering that matchup, which began a stretch of six losses in eight games.

Indiana didn't settle down until the final two weeks of the season, winning five of its last seven before falling to eventual champion Detroit in the conference semifinals.

Now, the Fever have to travel to the Verizon Center for a matchup with the Mystics (7-6), one of the league's most surprising teams, before playing at San Antonio on Thursday in their last game before the break.

All-Star guard Katie Douglas and forward Ebony Hoffman had 15 points each versus Connecticut, but no other Indiana player scored more than seven. Forward Tamika Catchings, also headed to the All-Star game, was held to five points on 2-of-12 shooting.

"Nobody in here likes to lose," said Douglas, averaging a team-high 16.6 points.

Douglas is one of four players averaging double figures in scoring for Indiana. She'll likely be matched up with Washington's Alana Beard, who will be her teammate in the All-Star game.

Beard tops the Mystics with 18.5 points and 2.9 steals a contest.

She had 13 points in a 68-67 win over New York on Saturday night, but Lindsey Harding was Washington's star. Harding had 23 points, including two free throws with 8.2 seconds left, while adding seven rebounds and five assists.

"She's the best thing that possibly could have happened to this team," said Beard, who played two seasons with Harding at Duke. "When you have a point guard that is aggressive like her, who understands the game and is smart, the game is really easy.

"She's a penetrator and a disher, and teams don't know how to play her now because she's fast as lightning."

Harding, averaging 13.2 points and 5.2 assists, helped the Mystics win for the second time in three games after losing four of their previous five.

Washington, which went 10-24 in 2008, is 3 1/2 games behind Indiana.