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Catchings fuels Fever to Eastern Conference finals

Aug 28, 2007 - 2:27 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Tamika Catchings denied the Connecticut Sun's drive for five on Monday.

The five-time All-Star scored a game-high 30 points as the Indiana Fever thwarted the Connecticut Sun's bid for a fifth straight berth in the Eastern Conference finals with a 93-88 overtime victory in Game Three of the first-round series.

Catchings sank a key 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining in overtime for Indiana, which awaits the winner of the best-of-three series between the New York Liberty and the Detroit Shock. Game Three of their series is Tuesday.

Catchings was 6-of-13 from the field but 16-of-17 from the line for the Fever.

Indiana overcame a 22-point first-half deficit, which is the largest comeback in WNBA playoff history, to win by the identical score of Connecticut's Game One victory, albeit in three overtimes.

"When we got down early, I told them we can't get it back all at once, keep pecking away," Indiana coach Brian Winters said.

"Home court is great, and that's why you play all year to have it. It's less likely we could have done this one the road."

Tamika Whitmore scored 24 points and Anna DeForge added 18 points for the Fever, who will return to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in franchise history.

Katie Douglas scored 27 points while Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones added 21 apiece for the Sun.

Whalen had 12 points as the Sun raced out to a 29-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.

"The loss was very disappointing because I have been with the franchise since the beginning," Douglas said. "I am a leader, and I want to be able to help bring a championship with the Sun."