Tamika Catchings’ season-high 30 points help Fever past Dream, 95-93

Catchings’ 30 points lead Fever past Dream

INDIANAPOLIS — Tamika Catchings scored a season-high 30 points and hit the winning free throws to lead the Indiana Fever to a 95-93 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Friday night, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Tammy Sutton-Brown had a season-high 17 points and Katie Douglas scored 14 for the Fever (17-10), who avenged a loss to the Dream earlier in the week to take the season series, 3-2.

Indiana moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by percentage points over Atlanta (18-11), which dropped its second straight after winning four in a row.

Angel McCoughtry scored 31 points and Iziane Castro Marques added 28 for the Dream.

The Fever took their biggest lead of the fourth quarter at 75-66 on Shavonte Zellous’ two free throws to begin the period. However, Atlanta used an 8-0 run minutes later to take an 82-80 advantage.

The teams traded baskets the next few possessions before the Dream got two free throws from both McCoughtry and Castro Marques to open a 90-86 lead with 3 minutes left. Douglas’ pair of free throws and Catchings’ layup quickly tied the score again.

Alison Bales’ free throw put Atlanta ahead 93-92 with 47 seconds left, and Ebony Hoffman answered with one free throw to tie it. Hoffman missed the second attempt, but chased down the rebound. Catchings got the ball and was fouled on a shot attempt with 3.5 seconds remaining, hitting both free throws.

Bales was fouled on a drive to the basket on the Dream’s final possession, but missed both free throws.

After shooting 70 percent from the field in the first quarter and taking a 10-point lead, the Dream were outscored 24-11 in the second to fall behind 45-39 at the half. Indiana had 11 offensive rebounds in the first half, compared to Atlanta’s one, leading to 15 second-chance points.

The Fever took their biggest lead, 60-50, on Sutton-Brown’s layup midway through the third quarter, but the Dream got within two points later in the period before settling for a 73-66 deficit entering the fourth.