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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Tully Bevilaqua made three crucial free
throws down the stretch after Sophia Witherspoon fueled a key
second-half run as the Portland Fire handed the Indiana Fever
their eighth straight loss on Monday, 68-64.
Portland won the battle of expansion teams to end a five-game
road losing streak, while Indiana suffered its seventh
consecutive home loss.
|  | | Sophia Witherspoon, who led Portland with 20 points, has this shot blocked by Kara Wolters. |
"A definite sigh of relief," Fire coach Linda Hargrove said. "We
concentrated on better defense in the second half and we tried
to push the ball up the court when they missed, and that helped
open up our fast breaks."
Bevilaqua made 1-of-2 free throws with 1:29 left to forge a
64-64 tie, then followed a missed 3-pointer by Indiana's Monica
Maxwell with a pair from the line to put the Fire ahead for good
with 57 seconds remaining.
The Fever were sloppy down the stretch. Kara Wolters turned
over the ball with 47.8 seconds to play and, after Portland
committed a shot-clock violation, Indiana could not get the ball
inbounds and was called for five-second violation with 17.8
seconds left.
Sylvia Crawley sealed the victory with two free throws with 16.5
seconds to go.
"We've had key turnovers in the last three games, and it's a
different ballgame without those turnovers," Maxwell said.
"After three losses, you would have thought we would have
learned."
Witherspoon scored nine of her 20 points during a 25-7 run that
gave the Fire a 58-55 lead with just under six minutes to play.
Crawley finished with 16 points and Stacey Thomas added 13 for
Portland, which has split its last six games after losing six in
a row.
"It feels so good to be undefeated against the expansion teams,"
Crawley said. "Our goal is to be the best expansion team in the
league, and now we've just got Miami to beat."
Maxwell scored 20 points and Rita Williams chipped in 16 for the
Fever, who have not won since June 17 at Orlando and have not
recorded a home win since June 5 against Miami.
"We all have to figure out how to win," said Indiana coach Anne
Donovan. "The last two games have been against expansion teams
and we have to learn how to close out the games. We ought to
know better than to play like we did tonight."
Indiana shot 42 percent (14-of-33) from the field in the first
half and took a 38-27 lead into the locker room. The Fever
grabbed their biggest advantage at 48-33 on a three-point play
by Williams with 15:50 remaining.
"We lost our composure and concentration," Maxwell said. "And
we lost focus on the defensive boards."
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
RECAPS
Cleveland 66
New York 65
Portland 68
Indiana 64
Washington 60
Seattle 55
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Sophia Witherspoon breaks the tie and silences the crowd with a three pointer.
avi: 533 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Fire's Stacey Thomas gets the steal and takes it up the court for two.
avi: 634 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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