WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Wauters, Liberty Sink Mercury 65-54

by Andrew Nordmeier
June 21, 2005 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury


The Phoenix Mercury was trying to build momentum and search for back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Unfortunately, they went into the house of horrors known as Madison Square Garden and the New York Liberty denied them a second straight win.

Led by a punishing inside presence from Ann Wauters, the Liberty (4-4) pulled away in the second half to post a 65-54 win over the Mercury (3-7) Saturday afternoon. The loss kept Phoenix winless all-time at Madison Square Garden in 10 tries and was a season-low offensive output.

Phoenix started to have the game slip away four minutes into the second half.

With the score tied at 35-35, New York came out of a timeout with a 6-0 run to open some breathing room. Phoenix would eventually close to within two with a Diana Taurasi three-pointer but the Liberty pulled away again.

New York went on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes to open a 51-42 lead midway through the half. The Mercury tried to rally back one last time but could come no closer than seven points in the final 10 minutes.

Phoenix used the pick and roll to decimate San Antonio in the second half of its last game but didn't utilize it much against New York. Despite it not being used, Kamila Vodichkova led Phoenix with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor. Taurasi added 13 but hit just 4-of-14 shots from the floor. Penny Taylor was the only other Mercury player in double digits with 10 while Anna DeForge chipped in nine points.

Wauters led New York with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Vodichkova kept getting beaten up in the low post and was overmatched by Wauters' size and speed. Wauters also picked up 10 rebounds and picked up her second straight double-double. Crystal Robinson added 10 for the winners while Becky Hammon and Elena Baranova added nine apiece.

Vicki Johnson scored 14 points for the Liberty and her last bucket of the game made her the seventh player in WNBA history to hit the 3,000-point plateau.

Up next, Phoenix has games against Washington (Tuesday) and Minnesota (Wednesday) before returning home Saturday to take on the Connecticut Sun.

Notes: Phoenix was beaten in the paint again by a 32-24 margin...The Mercury continued to improve on its turnover problems by only committing 14 of them; New York had 16...New York racked up eight blocks in the game, five by Wauters...New York still won despite poor shooting in most of the first half; after starting out 7-of-8 they finished the half 4-of-19 from the floor.

Check out the Phoenix Mercury Statistics



Women's National Basketball Association Stories from June 21, 2005


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central