Sky can't overcome slow start against Fever
Wait a second. Wasn't the UIC Pavilion supposed to be a tough place to play, one of the toughest in the WNBA?
Clearly, the Indiana Fever didn't get that memo.
The Eastern Conference-leading Fever waltzed into the UIC Pavilion and acted like it owned the place in manhandling the Chicago Sky 83-54 Friday night in front of 4,021 who saw a tale of two very different teams.
There were blown layups, mishandled passes and mental errors by the home team and easy buckets, points off steals and a blistering shooting percentage by the visitors, who were up 33-9 by the end of the first quarter.
"One of the things we knew about Chicago is that they play really well at home," said forward Tamika Catchings, who starred at Stevenson High School in the mid-1990s and has led the Fever to a 9-2 record. "We knew we'd have to come out and play our game straight from the beginning but try to jump on them and we did a great job."
Entering the game, the Sky was one of only two teams in the league with an undefeated record (5-0) at home.
Seattle will put its 5-0 home record on the line when the Sky (6-7) visits Sunday and tries to break its four-game skid.
The Sky (6-7), which got double figures from only reserve Shyra Ely (12 points), hasn't won a game since June 30, a victory over Sacramento at home that pushed its winning streak to three and had everyone daydreaming about the first playoff berth in franchise history.
"If things keep progressing this way - shoot, we'll never make the playoffs," said Sky forward Candice Dupree, who was held to 6 points, 9 below her average. Leading scorer Jia Perkins (16.7 ppg) managed 4 points. "We've got to pick it up. Some way we've got to pull it together."
It will be easier when starting center Sylvia Fowles returns.
She's missed the last four games with a sore right knee. She's been practicing with the team over the last week and could make her return against Seattle.
Fowles is averaging 12.7 points and a team-leading 9 rebounds per game.
"It's clear to us Sylvia is more important than points and rebounds," Sky coach Steven Key said. "She brings a presence for us and we hope to get her back soon.
"But that's no excuse for the way we started the last couple ballgames. You can't give up 30-point quarters against the Western Conference leaders (Phoenix) and the Eastern Conference leaders. You're not going to recover from that."
Reserve center Jessica Davenport led four players in double figures for Indiana with 15 points. Catchings scored 5 points but played only seven minutes, all in the first quarter. She is nursing a sore hamstring and the Fever could afford to rest her on the bench.