Catchings, Zellous lead Indiana Fever past Shock; 7th win in 9 games
From the Indiana Fever
TULSA – Tamika Catchings scored 23 points and Shavonte Zellous added 19 to lead the Indiana Fever to its seventh win in nine games, winning 71-60 over the Tulsa Shock.
Catchings and Zellous combined to hit 15 of 25 shots and Indiana shot 46 percent as a team, as the Fever hit the midway point of its schedule. Zellous and Catchings, along with coach Lin Dunn and the Indiana coaching staff, will represent the Fever in Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game in Connecticut.
Catchings, who will make her eighth All-Star appearance, became the WNBA’s No. 4 scorer of all-time (6,024). She already is the league’s career leader in steals and free throws, and is third in rebounds.
-Everybody was really focused, especially coming after a loss. It’s a confidence-builder for us going into the break,” said Catchings.
-We defended well and we attacked well,” said Dunn. -Any time we shoot 46 percent, we should win. Our energy level was high and I thought that was a key. We had really good balance.”
The Fever scored five straight points for a 45-36 lead early in the third period. The Shock cut the margin to 53-50 on a pair of Glory Johnson free throws to begin the fourth quarter, but Tulsa never got closer.
Catchings, Zellous and Jessica Breland scored six straight points for another 9-point lead and after a bucket from Liz Cambage, a Catchings layin was followed by a three-point play by Zellous as Indiana commanded a 66-54 lead with 4:46 remaining. A jumper by Karima Christmas stretched the Fever lead to 13, 71-59, with 1:46 left.
Christmas added 11 points for the Fever (8-9) who swept the season series with Tulsa (6-14) and moved within a half-game of third-place Washington in the East standings.
Catchings opened the contest scoring the Fever’s first six points on a pair of 3-pointers. She hit a pull-up jumper moments later to pass Lauren Jackson on the all-time scoring chart.
Tulsa, which snapped a three-game win streak, got 13 points from Cambage and 11 from Johnson.
The Fever resumes the second half of action on Thursday, Aug. 1 at Connecticut (7:00 p.m.).
