USA - Silver Stars level series with Monarchs

SAN ANTONIO (WNBA) - Becky Hammon scored 20 points and Marie Ferdinand-Harris added 17 and seven rebounds off the bench as the San Antonio Silver Stars routed the Sacramento Monarchs 86-61 to even the best-of-three Western Conference first-round series at 1-1.

Hammon and Ferdinand combined for 19 points in the second quarter, when the Silver Stars outscored the Monarchs 25-14 to open a 43-25 cushion at the intermission.

The 86 points was a post-season record for San Antonio, who were hosting their first play-off game since the franchise relocated from Utah in 2003.

Both games in the series have been blowouts as Sacramento won the opener at home, 86-65, on Thursday. San Antonio host the deciding contest on Monday.

Rebekkah Brunson scored 18 points for the Monarchs, who were held to 37% (23 of 62) shooting.

Nicole Powell was limited to four points after scoring 20 in the opener. Sophia Young contributed 12 points for the Silver Stars, who shot 52% (33 of 63).

Also on Saturday, Anna DeForge scored 15 of her 26 points in the first half as the Indiana Fever rebounded from a heartbreaking loss to drub the Connecticut Sun, 78-59, in the second game of their first round Eastern Conference play-off series.

Indiana, who dropped the opener 93-88 in the first triple overtime game in WNBA play-off history after erasing a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, host the deciding game of the best-of-three series on Monday.

After averaging just 8.7 points during the regular season, DeForge has elevated her game in the post-season, averaging 28.5 points in the two play-off games.

She had 31 in the opener, which tied a career high. The Fever also received a boost from Tamika Catchings, who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Catchings returned in Game One after missing 13 games with a torn foot muscle. DeForge made six of eight shots in the first half, when the Fever built a 40-21 cushion. Indiana led by as many as many as 25 in the second half.

The Fever snapped a five-game play-off losing streak and a five-game slide against the Sun, who swept the regular season series 4-0.
Katie Douglas scored 11 points for Connecticut, who are looking to reach the Eastern Conference final for the fourth straight year.

FIBA