Final - OT
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Sun-Fever Preview

Jul 29, 2009 - 7:55 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Connecticut (9-7) at Indiana (13-4), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Connecticut Sun snapped the Indiana Fever's 11-game winning streak earlier this month, but Indiana has another impressive run still intact.

The East-leading Fever haven't lost at Conseco Fieldhouse since their opener, and they'll look to make it 10 consecutive home victories Thursday night when they take on the Sun.

Indiana (13-4) dropped its home and road openers last month, but reeled off 11 wins in a row from June 9-July 17 to jump to the top of the East.

That stretch included a 67-53 home victory over the Sun (9-7) on July 2, but Connecticut earned a measure of revenge July 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun held the Fever to a season-low 28.8 percent shooting in a 67-61 win, keeping Indiana from matching Connecticut's 12-game run in 2006 as the third-longest in WNBA history.

Fever leading scorer Katie Douglas, who averages 16.3 points per game, had 15 on 5-of-16 shooting in the defeat.

Douglas, a member of the Sun from 2003-07, was held to an average of 5.0 points as Indiana split the final two games of a three-game road trip. She bounced back impressively Tuesday, scoring 24 of her career-high 34 points in the second half as the Fever rallied to beat Washington 85-81.

"She was just determined that we weren't going to lose," coach Lin Dunn said. "When she puts her head down, it's like she says, 'I'm going to the rim and you can't stop me.'"

The Fever's nine-game home winning streak is a single-season team record. They won 13 in a row spanning two seasons from July 22, 2002-July 10, 2003.

Connecticut had won four in a row going into Tuesday's home matchup with Phoenix, but didn't play like a team on a hot streak. The Sun missed 18 of their 26 first-quarter shots and trailed by 25 after three quarters in a 95-80 defeat.

The loss, combined with Indiana's win, dropped Connecticut 3 1/2 games behind the Fever.

"We missed 11 layups in the first quarter, so if it was there defense or it wasn't, it doesn't really matter," said forward Asjha Jones, who had 14 points. "Professionals are supposed to make those easy shots, and we didn't, and they came out hot."

Jones leads Connecticut with 17.1 points per game, but she hasn't been much of an offensive threat against Indiana. The first-time All-Star has averaged 11.0 points versus the Fever and fouled out in the win earlier this month.

Along with Douglas, the Fever could use a big game from Tamika Catchings. The team's second-leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, Catchings shot 4 of 19 from the field and averaged 7.5 points in the two games against Connecticut.