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Fever a win away from finals

Associated Press Tamika Catchings leads Fever past Plenette Pierson, right, and Shock. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Associated Press Tamika Catchings leads Fever past Plenette Pierson, right, and Shock. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

INDIANAPOLIS – Tamika Catchings had 22 points and 11 rebounds to help the Indiana Fever beat the Detroit Shock 75-65 on Friday night in Game 1 of the best-of-3 WNBA Eastern Conference finals.

Catchings set a franchise record with her fourth consecutive double-double. She is averaging 20.3 points and 14.3 rebounds in the playoffs.

Tamika Whitmore scored 18 points for the Fever and Tammy Sutton-Brown, the All-Star who all but disappeared in the first round of the playoffs, added 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Indiana.

Plenette Pierson led Detroit with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Cheryl Ford added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Indiana outscored Detroit 26-8 from the free-throw line.

Detroit beat Indiana 2-0 in the first round of last year’s playoffs on the way to its second championship in four years. Now the Shock must win Sunday in Detroit to have a chance to repeat.

The Fever got into the bonus with more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter on a shot by Anna DeForge. She completed the three-point play to give Indiana a 64-57 lead.

Whitmore shot 5 for 8 from the field in the first half, but her teammates shot 5 for 30 as the Fever led 33-31.