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Fever-Sun Preview

Jul 27, 2015 - 9:31 PM Tamika Catchings didn't want her final All-Star Game appearance to end so soon, but she'll get another chance to play in the same venue just days later.

The veteran forward looks to become the WNBA's second all-time leading scorer Tuesday night when the visiting Indiana Fever open the second half of their season against the Connecticut Sun.

Catchings started in her league-record 10th All-Star Game on Saturday, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Eastern Conference's 117-112 loss at Connecticut.

Although the former league MVP will play another season, there won't be a mid-season showcase next year due to the Summer Olympics. She certainly earned her place this season, leading the Fever (8-8) with 12.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

"It was kind of a surreal moment, like 'this is it'," Catchings told the team's official website. "But, I was like 'look, I'm not leaving yet. I'll be back next year'."

The 36-year-old will play again at Mohegan Sun Arena as Indiana tries to salvage a win in the last of a three-game road stretch. She finished with 20 points and three steals last Tuesday as the Fever lost by 18 for the second straight game, 80-62 to San Antonio.

"We let our lack of efficiency on offense affect us on the defensive end," coach Stephanie White said. "And they hurt us. San Antonio made us pay. I was disappointed in our energy."

Catchings, who has led Indiana to an 8-5 record in her 13 games, is already the league's all-time leader in steals and free throws. She needs three points to move past Diana Taurasi (6,722) as the No. 2 scorer in WNBA history.

Catchings has 47 points and 17 rebounds in her last two games against the Sun (8-7). She finished with 26 points and 10 boards while going 9 for 10 from the field as Indiana snapped a seven-game losing streak at Connecticut with a 92-84 win June 30.

The Fever shot 55.4 percent and outrebounded the Sun 27-21, but they have a combined 32.8 field-goal percentage while getting beat 77-52 on the boards in their last two. June Rookie of the Month Natalie Achonwa remains out while competing with Canada in the Pan Am Games.

The Sun had been mired in a six-game losing streak before Camille Little hit a jumper with eight seconds left in Wednesday's 78-77 overtime win at league-best Minnesota.

Shekinna Stricklen led the way with 15 points off the bench and Jasmine Thomas sent the game to overtime by hitting a 3-pointer with one second left.

Alex Bentley and Kelsey Bone get to stay home after participating in the All-Star Game for the first time. Bentley, seventh in the league with 16.8 points per game, led the East with 23 and five 3s.

Bone scored 21 and Bentley added 18 points and six assists to help Connecticut cut a 23-point deficit to three with 1:05 remaining in the first meeting with the Fever.