WNBA

• Fever beat Shock, force decisive Game 3 in East finals

  
  

  Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Tamika Catchings scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, leading the Indiana Fever to a 79-75 win over the Detroit Shock in Game 2 of the WNBA East finals.

  Catchings added five assists and six steals, while Katie Douglas had 14 points for the Fever, who recorded a WNBA playoff record 18 steals in the game. Ebony Hoffman had 13 points, and Briann January contributed 12 points off the bench.

  Deanna Nolan scored a game-high 23 points for the Shock, who are looking to defend their 2008 WNBA title. Shavonte Zellous added 19 points off the bench in defeat.

  The game was tied, 54-54, with 2:14 left in the third, but Indiana scored the next four points to take the lead. Kara Braxton drained a jumper for Detroit in the final seconds of the quarter, and the Shock went into the fourth trailing, 60-58.

  January began the final frame with a three-pointer and a jumper to open up a seven-point Indiana lead, but Detroit would get back to within 69-67 on a Nikki Teasley three with 6:12 to play.

  That was as close as the Shock got, though. Catchings added three straight points for some breathing room for the Fever, and Douglas answered a Nolan three with a pair of free throws with 2:46 left to make it 77-72. Catchings' two free throws with 18.9 seconds to play made it a seven-point game again and effectively sealed the contest.

  09/25 21:28:04 ET