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WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Mystics Mystify Mercury 106-101

by Andrew Nordmeier
June 21, 2007 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury


If the Washington Mystics could play every game against the Phoenix Mercury, they would be the undefeated champions of the WNBA. Last week, they downed the Phoenix for their first win of the season and picked up the second one of the year tonight with a 106-101 win at US Airways Center.

Washington (2-9) benefited from a few things that gave them the victory. Phoenix played without All-Star Cappie Pondexter who was sidelined with a strained left groin and was not active for the night.

"She hasn't practiced since the injury on Saturday. I haven't heard anything more. It's a muscular problem and she is day-to-day," Phoenix Head Coach Paul Westhead said, "Our doctors were here tonight and maybe something was diagnosed that we don't know about at this time."

The Mystics also enjoyed a heavy rebounding edge, dominating Phoenix 49-31 on the glass. Also, Washington pounded Phoenix in the bench scoring department by a hefty 39-8 margin, highlighted by Bernice Mosby's double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds).

"Our bench came in and picked up where the starters left off," Washington Head Coach Wayne "Tree" Rollins said, "Everybody got in the game and contributed."

This was also the first time in franchise history that Phoenix scored 100 or more points and lost the game.

"We didn't do things well that we did in games that we've won," Mercury Center Kelly Schumacher said after scoring all eight of Phoenix's bench points, "Some games it's better than others but tonight it just wasn't very good at all.

Alana Beard led all scorers with a season-high 29 points for Washington. DeLisha Milton-Jones added a season-high of her own with 22 in the winning effort. Phoenix (7-6) had all five starters in double digits led by Diana Taurasi's 25 points. Tangela Smith chipped in 20 for Phoenix.

Up next, the Mercury hosts the defending champion Detroit Shock Friday night at the US Airways Center.

"We know we got off to a rocky start (this season) with all the changes," Rollins said about building off the two wins over Phoenix in a seven-day span, "The key for us it that we don't leave it (the effort) here."

Notes: Tonight's game marked the beginning of a stretch where Phoenix plays eight of its next 11 at home...Washington scored a season-high 106 points in the win, 33 more than their season average of 72.7 points per game. Against Phoenix, the Mystics averaged 96 points per game in two wins...Phoenix is now 2-4 against the Eastern Conference and was 10-4 against the East last season...Attendance was 6,047.

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