COLLEGE PARK, MD – The Indiana Fever defeated the Washington Mystics 88-79 in Game One of the Eastern Conference Playoffs Thursday Night at the Comcast Center.  The Fever outscored Washington 32-21 in the decisive fourth quarter behind strong play by Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas in the victory.  Catchings had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana in the victory.

 

With a dinosaur exhibit invading the Verizon Center, Game One of the First Round series versus the Indiana Fever was moved to the Comcast Center on Thursday Night.  The Mystics were also 0-4 against Indiana on the season.
 
The venue for the game, the Comcast Center, was a nice homecoming for Mystics players Crystal Langhorne and Marissa Coleman, who both played under Head Coach Brenda Frese at the University of Maryland.  Today, Langhorne was named the Most Improved Player in the WNBA for the 2009 season.  She has one year of WNBA experience.  In the regular season, Langhorne averaged 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game; her total on the boards ranking third in the league.  Coleman experienced a more inconsistent rookie season but has scored in double digits five times with a season high of 16 points.
 
Coming off her pre-game award ceremony for Most Improved Player, Crystal Langhorne maintained her strong momentum with six early points to spark Washington to an early 9-6 lead.  Indiana came shooting back with twp quick three point baskets by Tamika Catchings and Tully Bevilaqua to take back the lead 17-14.  The teams continued to trade baskets and the lead changed hands seven times in the quarter with Washington, on a late Matee Avajon three point basket from the right wing and Nakia Sanford lay-up at the buzzer, took a 27-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.  Langhorne led all scorers in the quarter with eight points and two rebounds.
 
Marissa Coleman began the second quarter with a basket and a free throw conversion much to the delight of the home crowd to give Washington a seven point advantage.  Although the Mystics continued to play strong basketball, Katie Douglas, the unquestioned leader of the Fever, made two jump shots and became more involved in the offense as they sliced the Washington lead to six points midway through the second quarter at 36-30.   Indiana made some uncharacteristic mental mistakes in the first half including 12 turnovers including two off-the-ball offensive fouls which hampered their ability to get back into the game.  Even with the poor play at times, Tamika Catchings hit a left corner three point basket late in the quarter and Indiana finished only trailing by four points 43-39.  

After a torrid first half, Washington slowed down considerably in the second half with numerous early turnovers allowing the Fever, on a Tamika Catchings fast break layup, to tie the game at 43.  Even with the poor start, Washington continued to apply the pressure to Indiana and took a five point lead on a Lindsey Harding layup and foul conversion.  Crystal Langhorne continued her first half momentum with a spinning layup to give Washington a 56-53 lead late in the quarter and the home-standing Mystics led Indiana 58-56 entering the fourth quarter.  Langhorne finished the third quarter with 17 points on her way to one of her highest scoring games of the season.  She would finish the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds, another double-double for the most consistent inside player on the team.

Indiana attempted to pull away early in the fourth quarter when a Katie Douglas straight away three point basket sparked a 15-3 Indiana run to give them a 71-61 lead with 6:27 left in the game.  Douglas had a strong all-around game with 19 points, four rebounds and two steals.  Unfortunately for the Mystics, poor fourth quarter play has become a trend throughout the season and it came back to cost the Mystics Game One of this First Round Series.  Indiana continued their fourth quarter dominance and closed the game out to send the series back to Conseco Fieldhouse holding a 1-0 advantage in the Best of three game series.  Tamika Catchings, the strongest player on the floor all night, made a dramatic basket and foul shot to ice the game late for Indiana.  On the positive side for Washington, Marissa Coleman had one of her strongest games of the season, scoring 16 points and adding eight rebounds in the loss.

The format of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs, to minimize travel in a three game series, is slightly different than a typical playoff series.  After Game One, a home game for Washington, Game Two and Game Three (if necessary) will be played at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Fever.  Game Two will be on Saturday Night at 7 pm televised on NBATV and Game Three (if necessary) would be on Monday Night at 8 pm televised by ESPN2.