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Saturday, Jul. 8 2:00pm ET
Sarenac hits for season-high 15 points | |||||
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INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Rita Williams missed two free throws with 9.4 seconds left and the Phoenix Mercury sent the expansion Indiana Fever to their WNBA season-high 10th straight loss, 66-65. Rankica Sarenac scored 13 of her season-high 15 points in the second half, including two free throws with 26.6 seconds left to give the Mercury a one-point lead. Williams was fouled by Michelle Creary, but was unable to convert either shot as Phoenix got the rebound and ran out the clock. "We couldn't have asked for anybody better to be on the line at the end of the game," Indiana coach Anne Donovan said. "We made many mistakes at the end that were crucial and we just have to execute better, especially at the end of the game." Brandy Reed added 14 points for the undermanned Mercury, which won for the third time in four games despite dressing only eight players due to injuries to center Maria Stepanova and point guard Michele Timms. Monica Maxwell and Gordana Grubin paced four players in double figures for Indiana with 18 points each. Kara Wolters contributed 13 and Alicia Thompson added 12 for the Fever, who are one loss shy of the league-record streak set by the Washington Mystics two seasons ago. The Fever led 35-32 at the half, and moved out to a 55-49 advantage on a 3-pointer by Maxwell with 8:34 to play. But Phoenix responded with a 9-0 run, capped by two free throws from Sarenac with 4:23 to play. Sarenac went 3-for-4 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final 20 minutes as she matched her point total for her previous six games combined this season. "She (Sarenac) really stepped up," Phoenix coach Cheryl Miller said. "She's an intense competitor and hit some big free throws at the end." Although they had only three players come off the bench, the Mercury's reserves outscored Indiana's bench, 29-2. Phoenix shot 41 percent (23-of-55), including 3-of-8 from 3-point range, and 77 percent (17-of-22) from the charity stripe. The Fever made 47 percent (25-of-53) of their shots, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc, but suffered their eighth straight home loss, the second longest in league history. Maxwell drained three 3-pointers in the first half, including two in the first 3:14, as Indiana opened the game on a 12-2 run. She scored 13 points overall as the Fever grabbed a three-point lead at intermission. "We played hard and with a lot of pride," Maxwell said. "We need to keep our heads up because we know we'll squeak one of these out. We're young and can't get over the hump." | ALSO SEE WNBA Scoreboard RECAPS Phoenix 66 Indiana 65
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