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Saturday, Jun. 17 7:30pm ET
Thompson's big first half sets tone | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Alicia Thompson scored eight of her 13 first-half points during a decisive run as the Indiana Fever snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-54 triumph over the Orlando Miracle. The 1998 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Thompson has resurrected her game after having trouble finding a place in the WNBA. Her effort helped spur the Fever on a 14-0 run that opened a 37-23 cushion with four minutes left before halftime. Thompson shot 5-of-5 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and 7-of-9 overall for 17 points. Indiana scored its first 15 points of the game on 3-pointers as Rita Williams hit two and Thompson, Monica Maxwell and Danielle McCulley nailed once apiece. The Fever shot 57 percent (17-of-30) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, en route to a 48-31 cushion. "We really came out tonight and played well," Indiana coach Anne Donovan said. "We went to it early and didn't let up. The team shot well and played good defense. We jumped out on them early with some big 3s and didn't let up." Orlando fought back in the second half with a 9-1 run, closing to 50-42 with 13:30 left on Cintia Dos Santos' hook shot. Adrienne Johnson keyed the spurt with five points. But the Fever finally put away the game by scoring nine straight points for a 68-50 bulge with 3:46 remaining. "We are an expansion team and that shows in our inconsistency," Donovan said. "We played strong tonight, but we're not sure what we'll get tomorrow night in Detroit." Williams was 5-of-10 from the floor and Gordana Grubin 6-of-9 to help Indiana shoot 49 percent (30-of-61). Orlando hit just 36 percent (22-of-62) and was 1-of-16 from 3-point range. Taj McWilliams scored 11 points and Shannon Johnson 10 for the Miracle, who have dropped two in a row and four of their last six games. Orlando fell to 2-2 at TD Waterhouse Centre to open a five-game homestand. "You have to take your hats off to Indiana," Orlando coach Carolyn Peck said. "I don't think they had many points in the paint in the first half. They had a lot from outside. They came in ready to score. "I let (the team) down. I am going to find a way to get them to play the way I know they can. Our staff is going to find a way to get them to play." Indiana avoided a collapse similar to the one on June 3, when the Fever had a 15-point first-half lead before losing to Orlando, 88-82. Indiana had to wait two days to end the skid. Its contest from Thursday against Washington was postponed as poor weather prevented the Mystics from leaving the nation's capital. | ALSO SEE WNBA Scoreboard RECAPS Minnesota 69 Phoenix 62
Indiana 79
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