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Mystics-Fever Preview

Jul 27, 2009 - 8:56 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Washington (9-7) at Indiana (12-4), 7:00 p.m. EDT

After their franchise-record win streak was snapped, the Indiana Fever rebounded by beating the Washington Mystics.

Following a disappointing end to their three-game road trip, the Fever will look to another matchup with the Mystics to help them bounce back and earn a ninth straight home win on Tuesday night.

Indiana (12-4) surged to the top of the Eastern Conference by winning 11 in a row from June 9-July 17, but shot a season-worst 28.8 percent in a 67-61 loss at Connecticut on July 19.

Two nights later, the Fever posted an 82-70 win at Washington behind Tamika Catchings' season-high 28 points, but they lost 84-65 Thursday in San Antonio as Catchings was held scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting.

"She expended an enormous amount of energy in the Washington game and in the Connecticut game, and I thought she looked both mentally and physically fatigued," Indiana coach Lin Dunn said of the WNBA's leading All-Star vote-getter.

Catchings struggled with her shooting at Connecticut (2 for 12) and in the league's annual midseason showcase (3 for 10) on Saturday also at Mohegan Sun Arena.

She missed six of her first seven shots in the win over the Mystics, but made five of her final eight attempts, grabbed 10 rebounds and was 14 for 14 from the free-throw line.

Catchings missed Indiana's previous home meeting with Washington - a 64-53 win in last season's opener - due to a torn left Achilles' tendon, but Katie Douglas scored 24 points in her Fever debut and helped Dunn earn her first victory with the team.

However, Douglas, who leads the Fever with 15.2 points per game, averaged 8.3 points on the road trip and tallied eight in the most recent game against the Mystics. The All-Star was held to a season-low two points on 1-of-8 shooting Thursday against the Silver Stars, but hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points in the East's 130-118 loss Saturday.

After falling to Indiana, the Mystics (9-7) recorded home wins over Chicago on Thursday and Sacramento on Sunday to finish 4-2 on their season-high six-game homestand and move within three games of the Fever.

Crystal Langhorne, who scored 15 points in last week's matchup, tallied a season-high 19 against the Monarchs. She leads the club with 7.6 rebounds per game, and averaged 16.7 points over the last three contests.

"She's probably our most consistent player this year," said Washington guard Alana Beard, whose team has lost four of five on the road.

The Mystics, who haven't won three straight since opening the season 3-0, have lost nine of 10 to Indiana and dropped four in a row at Conseco Fieldhouse since a 74-67 win on July 29, 2006.

They'll face an Indiana team that's on the second-longest home win streak in franchise history, topped only by 13 straight victories from July 22, 2002-July 10, 2003.

The teams will meet again Sunday in Washington.