WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Mercury Routes Charlotte 112-84

by Andrew Nordmeier
Published on August 4, 2006 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury


The Phoenix Mercury showed the WNBA how lethal its offense can be when they rang up 100 points on the Charlotte Sting Thursday night at the US Airways Center. By the way, they still had 5:28 left in the fourth quarter when they did it.

The Mercury (13-16) won its second straight game to keep its flickering playoff hopes alive by destroying the Charlotte Sting 112-84. Seattle also won Thursday night, downing Washington 86-78, keeping Phoenix 2 ½ games out of the final playoff spot.

"It was a good exhibition of fast-paced basketball," Phoenix Head Coach Paul Westhead said, "Everyone got involved and it happens with us gaining possessions. Our rebounders were getting the ball and there we go."

While Phoenix lit up the scoreboard like a Christmas tree, they set several records in the process. The 112 points is a franchise high and two shy of the all-time WNBA mark of 114 set earlier this season by the Minnesota Lynx. The Mercury also set a franchise record with 55 first-half points and shot a mind-boggling 62.1% for the game as they hit 42 of their 68 shots from the field.

The Mercury got balanced offense with six players in double digits, led by Diana Taurasi's game-high 25 points. Jennifer Lacy added 16 points on a 7-of-7 shooting night from the field. Most of Lacy's points came in the lane and contributed to Phoenix scoring 50 points in the paint. Kelly Miller chipped in 16 while Belinda Snell scored 14, Cappie Pondexter 12 and Kamila Vodichkova scored 10 in the win.

"We all played well and tonight and it was a fun game" Miller said, "I think we just wanted to come out strong and we were knocking the shots down early and that helped."

Kelly Mazzante paced the Charlotte offense with 18 points. The Sting (9-21) was in the game at the half, trailing 55-46 but showed little life defensively after that.

"In the second half, we didn't show up," Sting Head Coach Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues said, "Whoever is in there has to do the job and produce. Attention to detail is very important and you have to understand the personnel that you're playing on the floor."

Phoenix hosts the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Sparks Saturday night as they try and crawl back into playoff hunt.

"LA is a team that we haven't been able to beat this year," Taurasi said, "Matchup wise we have some difficulties with them but for us it's going to be key to play confident."

Notes: The 42 field goals ties a WNBA record jointly held now with Los Angeles...Charlotte lost center Tammy Sutton-Brown in the second quarter and she didn't return due to lower back spasms...The Sting committed 17 turnovers that led to 28 Phoenix points...Kayte Christensen was the only Mercury player that got in the game but failed to scored in the rout...Phoenix has scored a franchise-record 2,478 points this season...The Mercury is 10-4 against the Eastern Conference this season and set a team record for most cross-conference wins in a season...Attendance was 7,078.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 4, 2006


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