Douglas scores 30; Indiana Fever defeat Phoenix Mercury 89-83
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
Katie Douglas joined an elite WNBA scoring club, then just kept on scoring.
The Indiana Fever forward became just the 10th WNBA player to score 5,000 career points when she made a layup early in the third quarter Sunday night against the Phoenix Mercury. Her season-high 30 points, 18 in the second half, led Indiana to an 89-83 win.
Douglas didn’t make a big deal about her game performance or reaching the rare scoring feat. The former Purdue star was more focused on the fact that the Fever improved to 9-2 since the Olympic break.
“I think my teammates did a good job of finding me,” she said. “It’s just all about the team, I was happy to get a win.”
Tamika Catchings, who added 19 points and four steals for the Fever (19-9), said the Fever.
“It’s just amazing to have the opportunity to play with somebody like that,” she said. “To know how much work she puts in as far as being a great shooter — time and time again, that’s something we rely on. It’s to her credit to be able to go down in history.”
Douglas’s clutch play in the second half was typical.
“When you look at Katie and what she’s been able to do this year — she’ s had some really big games for us and been able to step up at key points in the game, and tonight was definitely one of those moments,” Catchings said. “It’s all stuff that we we need as a team building up for the playoffs and building up for where we need to be.”
The Fever made seven 3-pointers and broke their franchise record of 226 3-pointers with six games remaining. Indiana is approaching the league record of 283 threes in a season.
DeWanna Bonner led Phoenix (7-21) with 23 points. Charde Houston scored 14 points and Lynetta Kizer added 11 for the Mercury.
Phoenix point guard Samantha Prahalis did not dress because of a shoulder injury. Without her, the Mercury committed 23 turnovers.
The Fever were on pace to set a league record for fewest turnovers in a game. Indiana had committed just three midway through the fourth quarter, but committed three the rest of the way and finished with six. The league record was four and the team record was five.
Phoenix jumped out to a quick 26-15 lead, but the Fever closed the quarter with a 12-0 run. A steal by Erlana Larkins in the closing seconds led to her scoring a putback basket in the final seconds of the period to give Indiana a 27-26 lead.
Indiana continued to roll through the rest of the first half. At one point, the Mercury were shooting 60 percent from the field but losing 49-41. Indiana eventually led 54-41 at halftime. The Fever forced 13 turnovers in the first half and committed just two. Indiana also outscored the Mercury 14-4 from the free-throw line before the break.
The Fever stretched their lead to 65-48 on a jumper by Douglas with 4:27 left in the third quarter.
Phoenix made a final push, trimming Indiana’s lead to single digits in the final minutes. Douglas answered several of Phoenix’s buckets, scoring nine of her points in the fourth quarter.
“Indiana is a good team,” Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said. “They have a deep bench. Best of luck in the playoffs. I think they have a chance to make it to the championship.”
