Zellous leads Fever to 81-72 win over Sky

[June 28, 2012]  ROSEMONT (AP) -- Shavonte Zellous led a balanced offense with a season-high 18 points for the Indiana Fever, who defeated the Chicago Sky 81-72 on Wednesday.

Tamika Catchings had 17 points and a season-high nine assists, Jeanette Pohlen had 14 off the bench and Tammy Sutton-Brown added 10 for the Fever (8-5), winners of three of their last four games.

Sylvia Fowles had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Swin Cash scored 17 and Tamera Young added 15 for the Sky (7-4), who dropped their third straight after a franchise record 7-1 start.

Zellous was 7 for 8 from the field, making all three of her 3-pointers.

Indiana improved a four-point halftime lead to double digits with a 12-3 run over the first 3:29 of the third period, which included a pair of 3s by Zellous. Indiana's lead never slipped below eight points after that.

The Fever have beaten the Sky four straight during the last two seasons and lead 22-5 all-time. Indiana made 11 of 19 3-point shots and finished at 45 percent overall from the field.

Catchings struggled offensively for the second straight game, hitting just 2 of 9 shots but making all eight free-throw attempts. On Tuesday, she was 3 of 15 from the field in a loss at Atlanta.

Catchings had five points and four assists while Zellous added five points in the opening quarter as Indiana opened a 22-12 lead.

In the second quarter, the Fever went nearly six minutes without a field goal, but compensated with 7 of 9 free throws plus a late 3 pointers from Catchings and Pohlen en route to a 37-33 halftime lead.

Indiana used its strong third quarter to enter the fourth with a 63-50 advantage.

Chicago outrebounded its opponents 46-35, but the Sky turned the ball over 15 times (on 12 Fever steals) compared to 10 for Indiana.

Chicago hosts Phoenix on Friday and Atlanta on Sunday. Indiana is idle until July 5 at home against San Antonio.

[Associated Press]

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