Fever earn playoff bid while eliminating Sun
Indianapolis — Tamika Catchings had 13 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 81-51 on Tuesday night to reach the playoffs for a WNBA-record 11th straight season.
Indiana snapped a three-game losing streak and swept the four-game season series with Connecticut. The loss also eliminated the Sun (13-18) from playoff consideration.
"We just didn't have it tonight," said center Kelsey Bone, who led the Sun with 17 points. "Indiana played like a team that was trying to clinch a playoff spot. They played like a team that's lost three in a row and they came out hungry and they were victorious. We got outhustled, fought, any word you can think of, we got out-that tonight."
Connecticut, which has struggled to overcome a series of injuries that began with the preseason loss of all-star Chiney Ogwumike, plays two more road games before closing out the season on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Chicago Sky at Mohegan Sun Arena.
"We're injured," Bone added. "We're missing important pieces, but we still have professional athletes that come to work every day. That's no excuse for what took place tonight. It didn't have anything to do with injuries. We're still good enough to compete. We're still good enough to get wins and we just have to figure that out."
Maggie Lucas and Natalie Achonwa each scored 11 for Indiana (18-12). The Fever went 15-for-15 at the line and outrebounded the Sun 39-26.
Connecticut did not reach double-digit scoring until the 5:28 mark of the second quarter. The Sun scored seven points in the first quarter and eight in the second to trail 41-15 at the break. Catchings had 11 points in the half for Indiana, which held Connecticut to 5 of 34 shooting. The Sun set a franchise record for fewest points in a half.
Jennifer Lacey, a late-season acquisition by the Sun, added 11 points.
"I guess we had a lack of defensive focus and offensive execution early in the game and we just never could recover from it," Lacey said. "It's just kind of is what it is and we have to figure out a way to move on and finish the season to the best of our abilities.
"It's really been unfortunate that we've had so many injuries. But we gotta find a way to finish the season strong."
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