INDIANA FEVER - 2012 WNBA CHAMPIONS

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Tamika Catchings scored 25 points to help the Indiana Fever win their first ever WNBA championship with an 87-78 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.

Catchings, who became the MVP of the Finals, averaged 22.3 points in the series, which the Fever won 3-1 over the now-former WNBA champions.

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Catchings had won three Olympic gold medals and an NCAA championship at Tennessee in 1998, but never a WNBA title. She had been in a position to clinch at home before. The Fever led Phoenix 2-1 in the best-of-five WNBA Finals in 2009, but the Mercury beat the Fever 90-77, took the series back to Phoenix, and won the title at home in Game 5.

This time, Catchings took it home with her former college coach Pat Summitt looking on in the crowd.

Erin Phillips added 18 points & eight rebounds while Shavonte Zellous and Briann January each had 15 points for the Fever while Indiana held Minnesota below 40 percent shooting in all three wins.

Indiana started the second half on a 9-4 run, including two buckets by Catchings, to take a 56-46 lead. As time passed, the Fever closed the deal at home in front of a sellout crowd as they witnessed their team become the 2012 WNBA Champions.

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