Sky drop WNBA one season record fifth to Indiana

Chicago Sky
INDIANAPOLIS—Briann January had 15 points and made several key plays in the fourth quarter to lead the Fever to a 78-74 win over the Sky on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.After starting three of four games to begin the season before suffering a knee injury, January was reinserted into the starting lineup in the Fever’s last game, a 78-73 win over Washington. She had a season-high 19 points and eight assists against the Mystics.Tamika Catchings finished Tuesday night with 16 points and 10 rebounds.The Sky, which trailed by 21 in the first half, got within eight entering the fourth quarter and continued to chip away at the deficit. Sylvia Fowles’ three-point play made it 70-68 with 4:27 left, but January’s jumper pushed the lead back to four.Shay Murphy then hit two free throws for the Sky to make it a two-point game, but January’s 3-pointer stopped the Sky’s momentum again. With Indiana trying to hold a three-point lead in the closing seconds, January had a defensive steal and made a free throw to seal the victory.Indiana (16-7) beat the Sky (12-13) for the fifth time, marking the first time a WNBA team has beaten an opponent five times in the same regular season.Fowles had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Murphy scored 12 for the Sky, who had won four of five entering the game.Catchings and Katie Douglas each scored 10 points in the first half to put Indiana in control. The Fever used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to take their biggest lead, 45-24.The Sky closed to 53-48 on Erin Thorn’s 3-pointer in the third quarter before settling for an eight-point deficit entering the final period.Catchings’ double-double was the 65th of her career, tying her for seventh all-time in league history.The Fever remain one game ahead of Atlanta (16-9) for first place in the Eastern Conference.The Sky,which has never made the WNBA Playoffs, is a combined 0-9 against Division rivals Indiana and New York.