INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Sheri Sam never panicked as a 12-point Miami Sol lead was sliced to two in just over three minutes.
"We've been in the close games. We know to win them," Sam said. "We had confidence."
Sam's confidence was justified as the Sol withstood a second-half rally and beat the Indiana Fever 69-63 Saturday night.
Sam scored 17 points and Sandy Brondello added 15 as Miami won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Alicia Thompson hit four 3-pointers in the second half as the
Fever tried to erase an 18-point, first-half deficit.
Thompson's 3-pointer with 18.3 seconds left capped a 13-5 run
and cut Miami's lead to 65-63.
The Sol (15-10) won a jump ball and made four free throws to
seal the win.
The Sol built a 43-25 lead by halftime, but the Fever whittled
away at their deficit in the second half.
Jurgita Streimkyte's layup capped a 11-2 run as the Fever closed
within nine points with 13:09 remaining.
Seven straight points by Ruth Riley, playing her first pro game
in her home state, pushed Miami's lead to 54-40. Riley finished
with nine points.
The Fever, who rallied from a 12-point deficit to beat Cleveland
on Friday, pulled within 62-53 on a 3-pointer by Stephanie McCarty
with 1:57 remaining.
McCarty later stole the ball at halfcourt and passed it to Rita
Williams for a layup and a 62-55 score at 1:36. Indiana forced 14
turnovers and converted them into 17 points.
Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 42.6
seconds left, and Streimikyte followed with two free throws as the
Fever closed within 63-60.
Tracy Reid hit a pair of free throws with 26 seconds left to
give the Sol a 65-60 lead, but Thompson countered with a 3-pointer,
pulling the Fever within two at 65-63.
"It felt good hitting them," Thompson said of her 3-pointers.
"I knew that I had to knock some down and prayed they went in."
Brondello scored 10 of her points in the first three minutes as
Miami charged to a 15-0 lead. Brondello made her first four
attempts, including two 3-pointers.
Miami coach Ron Rothstein said the Sol struggled to handle
Indiana's harassing defense.
"The cushion at halftime helped us. Late in the game, Indiana's
press bothered us and we lost our composure, but we came out,"
Rothstein said.
Thompson led the Fever (8-17) with 16 points, Angie Braziel had
a career-high 14 and Streimikyte added 13.
Indiana coach Nell Fortner said the Fever's tendency to fall
behind early has been an ongoing problem.
"It was a great comeback, but again we can't dig ourselves a
hole like we did in the first half," she said. "We had to push
the tempo of the game.
"Miami was settling in and happy to run their plays. We had to
begin pressing and trapping."
Riley, a Macy, Ind., native who led Notre Dame to last year's
national championship, received a standing ovation from the 10,871
fans at Conseco Fieldhouse. They chanted "Ruuuuth" after every
basket.
"It's great to come back and see so many people who have
supported me along the way," Riley said. "It's great to come back
and see so many people who have supported me along the way. Indiana
basketball has been such a huge part of my life. It's just another
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