The Herald Bulletin - Mercury win sends WNBA finals west

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Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi, left, blocks the shot of Indiana Fever's Katie Douglas in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. The Mercury defeated the Fever 90-70 to tie the series at 2-2. The deciding Game 5 is Friday in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Michael Conroy / Associated Press

Indiana Fever's Tammy Sutton-Brown looks up at the scoreboard during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Phoenix Mercury in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. Phoenix won 90-77. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Darron Cummings / Associated Press

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, right, reacts with teammates during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. Phoenix won 90-77. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Darron Cummings / Associated Press

Published October 08, 2009 10:54 am - The high-scoring Phoenix Mercury saved their season with defense. The Indiana Fever led the WNBA finals series 2-1 and had a chance to clinch their first title in front of an active sellout crowd that included local celebrities such as Indianapolis Colts players Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. None of that mattered as the Mercury beat the Fever 90-77 on Wednesday night to tie the series and force Game 5 Friday in Phoenix.

Mercury win sends WNBA finals west
Mercury even series with 90-77 win over Fever

By Cliff Brunt, The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — The high-scoring Phoenix Mercury saved their season with defense.

The Indiana Fever led the WNBA finals series 2-1 and had a chance to clinch their first title in front of an active sellout crowd that included local celebrities such as Indianapolis Colts players Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. None of that mattered as the Mercury beat the Fever 90-77 on Wednesday night to tie the series and force Game 5 Friday in Phoenix.

Indiana shot 2-for 13 in the fourth quarter, stifling any chance it had of overcoming the 72-65 deficit it faced going into the period. The Fever scored 12 points in the quarter, the third-lowest total in a fourth quarter in finals history.

While Phoenix defended well, Indiana's stagnant offense helped.

"In the fourth quarter, nobody wanted to take the shot for them, so they were just passing it around," Phoenix center Tangela Smith said. "That's what we wanted."

Tamika Catchings, who led Indiana with 24 points and 12 rebounds, agreed that her teammates became hesitant. She said this is the wrong time for that.

"Hopefully, that's out of our system and we'll get to Phoenix Friday and we'll be ready to play," she said.

Catchings shot 11-for-17 and Ebony Hoffman scored 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting. The rest of the team shot 11-for-44.