Fever upset Liberty to win Eastern Conference Championship

The Indiana Fever knocked off the New York Liberty, 66-51, to win the Eastern Conference Championship and advance to the WNBA finals.

Tamika Catchings made key defensive plays down the stretch to seal the win.

Indiana will face Western Conference champs Minnesota, in what has a 2012-like feel to it.

To say the Fever do very well under pressure is an understatement. Indiana spokesman Kevin Messenger said the team has faced elimination ten times in the past four years (since 2012). They are 8-2 in those games. Before tonight's game, The Fever was the only team to have won four straight elimination games in the postseason (2012 again). Now they've done it twice.

Wow.

Coach Stephanie White is the first rookie coach to lead her team into the finals.

The public is invited to a welcoming rally for Indiana at the airport's Civic Plaza tomorrow morning.

Finals schedule:

Oct. 4: Fever at Lynx

Oct. 6: Fever at Lynx

Oct. 9: Lynx at Fever

Oct. 11: Lynx at Fever

Oct. 14: Fever at Lynx

Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer called the loss "disappointing, unfortunate."

New York could have won it in game two.

More pro news:

Brittney Griner will be suspended for the beginning of USA Basketball training camp this week due to her domestic violence arrest.

Armintie Herrington is retiring after nine seasons.