The visiting side kept in touch for the best part of three quarters, but eventually the toll of the 16-hour trip proved telling. The Fever took advantage in the final period, outscoring the Steel 18-12 to win comfortably.
Steel coach Janine Southby effectively threw in the towel when she replaced star shooter Jhaniele Fowler with Te Paea Selby-Rickit midway through the fourth quarter.
It was a competitive but sloppy opening, with both sides making early errors and failing to capitalise on turnovers.
Fever defender Eboni Beckford-Chambers, fired up by the challenge of marking the towering Fowler, made a telling steal midway through the period. She moved swiftly to get in front of her opponent and nabbed a pass which had been rolled into the shooting circle.
That allowed her side to build a fragile two-goal buffer by the break.
Fowler, who started the game needing 14 goals to overtake the previous highest individual season tally, managed that early in the second period.
The Jamaican international averages more than 50 goals a game, and by halftime she was on track to exceed her average with 26 goals from 30 attempts.
The Fever, though, stretched its lead to five thanks to a three-goal run late in the period. Goal defence Josie Janz, sensing Jodi Brown was looking for a high pass into Fowler, timed a leap perfectly and swatted it away. The Fever midcourt swooped on the loose ball.
Five goals is nothing when there is 30 minutes to play. But it was hard to shake the feeling the longer the game went on the more the Steel would fade. Fowler confirmed the worst when she was caught in a long yawn.
The Steel made changes with Courtney Tairi replacing Shannon Francois at wing attack and Phoenix Karaka coming on at goal keep with Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick moving to the bench.
Janz twisted her ankle early in the half and was replaced by Chanel Gomes. The fresh legs helped as the Steel made inroads, closing to within three after the lead had ballooned to seven. But the Fever finished the period strongly and took a six-goal lead into the final 15 minutes.
What was a healthy buffer morphed into a unassailable lead with the Fever scoring the first four goals to open a 10-goal lead. The Central Pulse breezed past the Canterbury Tactix 73-59 in Porirua last night.
The win was the first time the Pulse had won four games on the trot and its total of 73 is its highest score in an ANZ Championship match.
The tone was set early as the Pulse blitzed the Tactix 22-12 in the opening quarter.
Back-up shooter Paula Griffin was a shock inclusion ahead of the reliable Caitlin Thwaites, but made the most of her opportunities with 50 goals from 58 attempts.
ANZ Championship
The scores
Fever 68
Caitlin Bassett 41 from 44, Catherine Cox 27/32
Steel 56
Jhaniele Fowler 45/49, Jodi Brown 7/13, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 4/5
Quarter scores: 1st 15-13, 2nd 34-29, 3rd 50-44
