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Posted at 10:06 a.m., Sunday, September 2, 2007

WNBA: Shock even Eastern Conference finals, 77-63

Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Deanna Nolan scored 15 of her game-high 24 points in the second quarter and the Detroit Shock beat the Indiana Fever 77-63 today to even the Eastern Conference finals at one game each.

The series will be decided in Game 3 Monday evening.

Swin Cash added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit, while Plenette Pierson had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. The Shock put five players in double figures to improve to 3-0 when facing elimination this postseason.

Most importantly for Detroit, facing two must-win games in 29 hours, All-Star Cheryl Ford was only forced to play 21 minutes on a bad knee.

Anna DeForge led Indiana, scoring 13 points against her former team. Tamika Whitmore had 12, but only two in the second half, and Tamika Catchings finished with just seven.

Indiana led 20-16 after one quarter, but had no answers for Nolan or Detroit's zone defense in the second.

Nolan hit all five of her shots in the quarter, and the Fever managed just four field goals while looking confused by the Shock's defense.

That let Detroit take a 41-32 lead into intermission despite 13 turnovers.

Shock captain Swin Cash didn't score in the first half, but had three baskets early in the third quarter as Detroit opened an 18-point lead midway through the period.

Detroit led 68-47 going into the fourth quarter, but Indiana got within 71-59 before their rally stalled.

Catchings was called for a flagrant foul for knocking down Pierson late in the third quarter.