Dream win in OT, send Fever to 10th straight loss

Rookie Brittney Sykes hit a tying 3-pointer with 19 seconds left and the Atlanta Dream knocked off the Indiana Fever 79-74 in overtime on Saturday at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.

Tiffany Hayes had a game-high 24 points and Sykes finished with 16 points, including some late clutch free throws in overtime for the Dream (12-20).

Erica Wheeler had 23 points and Jazmon Gwathmey added 16 points for the Fever (9-23), who dropped their 10th straight game.

The Fever jumped on the Dream early, racing out to a 17-6 lead. Gwathmey hit a 3-pointer to help fuel the hot start and Indiana took a 26-12 lead in the second quarter.

Atlanta cut into the Indiana lead before halftime, closing within six on a Tamera Young layup two minutes to go in the second quarter.

Candice Dupree answered with a jumper and Jeanette Pohlen-Mavunga hit two last-second free throws to give the Fever a 43-35 lead at halftime.

The Dream grabbed their first lead of the game late in the third quarter on two free throws from Hayes. But Wheeler drained a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Fever a 56-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Wheeler hit a 3-pointer with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter that put the Fever ahead 68-65. But Indiana couldn’t come up with a clinching hoop and Sykes buried the tying 3-pointer to force overtime.

Elizabeth Williams finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Dream.

The Fever finish the regular season at home against Minnesota on Wednesday and San Antonio on Sept. 2.

The Dream end the regular season on the West Coast, beginning with a Friday game at Los Angeles.