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Fever-Mystics Preview

Aug 1, 2009 - 7:14 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Indiana (14-4) at Washington (10-8), 4:00 p.m. EDT

The Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics will meet Sunday for the third time in less than two weeks. So far, the Fever have enjoyed the two previous matchups a little more.

League-leading Indiana will try to remain unbeaten this season against the Mystics as the teams take the floor at the Verizon Center.

The Fever (14-4) hold a four-game lead in the Eastern Conference over Washington thanks in part to two recent wins over the Mystics.

After their franchise record 11-game win streak was snapped, the Fever bounced back with an 82-70 win in Washington on July 21. Exactly one week later at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana rallied for an 85-81 victory behind Katie Douglas' career-high 34 points.

She followed with 32 points against her former team in Thursday night's 94-85 overtime victory over visiting Connecticut, becoming the first player in franchise history with consecutive 30-point performances.

Following the All-Star game, Indiana asked Douglas, who leads the team with 17.2 points per game, for more aggressive play on offense, namely getting to the free-throw line more often.

The eighth-year guard, who hadn't attempted more than eight free throws in a game this season, responded with a 15-of-16 performance from the line Tuesday against Washington and by going 10 of 12 on Thursday.

"These past two games I've been able to get to the line. Anytime, you can get some easy shots, some free throws and layups, you get into a rhythm," Douglas said. "I think that's been key, and obviously, my teammates are doing a great job of finding me."

After struggling with her shot following a season-high 28 points in the first matchup against the Mystics, fellow All-Star Tamika Catchings has rebounded to make 10 of her last 20 field-goal attempts and average 19.0 points over the past two games.

In addition to Catchings' 23 points Thursday, the Fever also got 12 from Jessica Moore in her first start in place of center Tammy Sutton-Brown, who is expected to miss a week with a stress fracture in her right big toe.

Following Tuesday's loss in Indiana, the Mystics nearly blew a 22-point lead in New York on Thursday but held on for a 78-75 win at New York as Alana Beard scored 28 points.

"Down the stretch we hit some big shots, had some go-to plays and we had some big stops," Washington coach Julie Plank said. It's hard once teams start coming back. I thought we kept our poise. We're learning to play together better down the stretch."

The Mystics have dropped 11 of 13 to Indiana and five of six in Washington.