INDIANAPOLIS – Tamika Catchings scored 21 points to lead a balanced offense and provided a defensive gem as the Indiana Fever rolled to a big lead early, then held on for an 81-68 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Tuesday night.
Erin Phillips added 18 points and Katie Douglas had 13 for the Eastern Conference-leading Fever (16-7).
Becky Hammon scored 19 points and fueled a fourth-quarter rally by San Antonio (12-9), second in the Western Conference.
Indiana led by as many as 20 points before Hammon scored 15 points in the period to help the Silver Stars cut the deficit to 74-64 with 2:17 to play.
The Fever turned the ball over, with Hammon racing to the basket on a breakaway. But Catchings caught her and stripped the ball away, with Phillips grabbing the loose ball and drawing the subsequent foul. She made both free throws for a 12-point lead with 1:58 remaining.
The Silver Stars scored just five points in the second quarter as Indiana built a 39-23 lead at intermission. San Antonio made just 1-of-14 field goals in the second quarter and the Stars were 0-for-3 from 3-point range. The Fever hit 6-of-15 field goals in the period, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
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