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Sky-Fever Preview

Jul 26, 2010 - 5:26 PM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Chicago (12-12) at Indiana (15-7), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Only four games separate the first-place Indiana Fever from the last-place Chicago Sky in the Eastern Conference, placing additional importance on head-to-head matchups.

The Fever will try to sweep their season series against the Sky and earn a season-high fifth straight win Tuesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Indiana (15-7) is trying to repeat as regular-season conference champions, but while it's won six of seven this month, it holds only a one-game lead over second-place Atlanta.

The Fever recorded a 78-73 win over Washington on Saturday behind Briann January, who scored 17 of her season-high 19 points in the second half. Ebony Hoffman and Katie Douglas each added 13 to help the team hold off a late Mystics' rally.

Indiana led 68-57 before Washington cut the lead to two, but January sealed the victory by hitting all four of her free throws in the closing seconds. The rookie guard, who has scored in double figures in four of her last six games, finished 14 of 15 at the line.

"Definitely the player of the game," teammate Tamika Catchings said. "(Briann) getting to the free-throw (line) 15 times, especially when we looked up at halftime and I think we had only shot eight free throws as a team, that was huge."

Indiana improved to 10-5 against the East and will have a chance to boost that record over the next few weeks while playing its next five against conference foes.

The Fever have already won the season series against Chicago (12-12) by taking all four meetings, winning 69-61 in the only matchup at Conseco Fieldhouse on May 23.

Indiana, which has the league's best scoring defense at 70.6 points per game, has held the Sky to fewer than 65 in three of the four meetings.

Chicago enters having won four of five, posting a 75-72 victory at San Antonio on Saturday to pull within a game of Connecticut for the final playoff spot in the East.

The Sky rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final 3:10, with Jia Perkins scoring six points and Sylvia Fowles adding four during an 11-0 run.

"My whole mindset just changed," said Fowles, who finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double. "We came too far to come here and lose, so we had to do something."

Fowles scored 26 points and had 18 rebounds as the Sky lost 58-51 in the last meeting between these teams July 6.

The Fever are 15-4 against the Sky, going 8-1 at home.