WNBA gears up for final three weeks of regular season

Published on August 31, 2004 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release

NEW YORK, August 31 – With medals in tow, WNBA Olympians are rejoining their teams this week for the final three weeks of the 2004 regular season.

"Women's basketball took center stage at the Olympics for two straight weeks, from Dawn Staley proudly carrying of the U.S. Flag during the Opening Ceremonies to the United States win over Australia in the gold medal game," said WNBA President Val Ackerman. "We expect the intensity of competition that characterized the Games in Athens to carry over to the WNBA as we enter the final weeks of our most hotly contested season to date."

As play resumes September 1, there are 53 games remaining on the regular season docket, and all eight playoff positions are still up for grabs. The Eastern Conference is separated by a mere two games, with the New York Liberty (13-12) sitting alone in first place. Out West, the Los Angeles Sparks (19-7), Seattle Storm (17-8) and Minnesota Lynx (15-11) boast the three best records in the league.

ESPN2 will televise four games in the season's final three weeks, including the September 9 match-up between last year's Finals participants, the Detroit Shock and Los Angeles Sparks, at Staples Center at 10:30 p.m. ET. ABC will broadcast a potential Western Conference playoff preview on September 12 when the Sparks host the Sacramento Monarchs at 4 p.m. ET. Oxygen will show two games in September including a potential Eastern Conference playoff preview between Indiana and Connecticut on the final day of the regular season, September 19, at noon ET. NBA TV will televise 14 games including three on the season's final weekend – Friday, September 17, New York at Connecticut (7 p.m. ET) and Minnesota at Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. ET) and Sunday, September 19, Houston at Phoenix (9 p.m. ET).

Ratings for ABC's and ESPN2's telecasts of WNBA games are up 14 and 16 percent respectively from a year ago. The season-opening telecast featuring the Phoenix Mercury at the Connecticut Sun was the highest rated WNBA game (regular season or playoffs) ever on ABC, and the July 11 telecast featuring the Mercury at the New York Liberty was the highest rated WNBA regular season game ever on ESPN2. Total visits to the league's official web site, WNBA.com, have increased 10% over last season, with more than 4.5 million visits to date. For more information on the WNBA, visit WNBA.com.

The WNBA's September schedule, current standings and league leaders follow.

WNBA September Schedule

Wednesday 1 Connecticut @ Charlotte 7:00 pm
Indiana @ Washington 7:00 pm
Phoenix @ Detroit 7:30 pm NBATV
Minnesota @ Houston 8:30 pm
San Antonio @ Los Angeles 10:30 pm
Sacramento @ Seattle 10:30 pm NBATV
Thursday 2 Charlotte @ New York 7:30 pm
San Antonio @ Sacramento 10:00 pm
Friday 3 New York @ Connecticut 7:00 pm NBATV
Indiana @ Minnesota 8:00 pm
Phoenix @ Houston 8:30 pm
Seattle @ Los Angeles 10:30 pm
Saturday 4 Detroit @ Charlotte 6:00 pm
Washington @ Indiana 8:00 pm NBATV
Sacramento @ San Antonio 8:00 pm
Seattle @ Phoenix 10:00 pm
Tuesday 7 Sacramento @ Washington 7:00 pm NBATV
Wednesday 8 Charlotte @ Minnesota 8:00 pm NBATV
Los Angeles @ Phoenix 10:00 pm NBATV
Detroit @ Seattle 10:00 pm
Thursday 9 Sacramento @ Charlotte 7:00 pm
New York @ Washington 7:00 pm NBATV
Houston @ San Antonio 8:00 pm
Detroit @ Los Angeles 10:30 pm ESPN2
Friday 10 Connecticut @ New York 7:30 pm
San Antonio @ Indiana 8:00 pm NBATV
Seattle @ Minnesota 8:00 pm
Saturday 11 Minnesota @ Charlotte 6:00 pm
Detroit @ Phoenix 10:00 pm
Sunday 12 Houston @ Washington 12:00 pm Oxygen
Seattle @ Connecticut 2:00 pm ESPN2
Sacramento @ Los Angeles 4:00 pm ABC
San Antonio @ New York 4:00 pm
Monday 13 Seattle @ Indiana 8:00 pm
Tuesday 14 New York @ Detroit 7:30 pm NBATV
Minnesota @ Houston 8:30 pm
Phoenix @ Los Angeles 10:30 pm NBATV
Wednesday 15 Connecticut @ Charlotte 7:00 pm
Washington @ San Antonio 8:00 pm
Phoenix @ Seattle 10:00 pm
Thursday 16 Indiana @ New York 7:30 pm
Sacramento @ Houston 8:00 pm ESPN2
Friday 17 New York @ Connecticut 7:00 pm NBATV
Charlotte @ San Antonio 8:00 pm
Washington @ Phoenix 10:00 pm
Minnesota @ Los Angeles 10:30 pm NBATV
Saturday 18 Houston @ Sacramento 10:00 pm
Los Angeles @ Seattle 10:00 pm
Sunday 19 Indiana @ Connecticut 12:00 pm Oxygen
Charlotte @ Detroit 2:00 pm ESPN2
Washington @ New York 4:00 pm
Houston @ Phoenix 9:00 pm NBATV
Minnesota @ Sacramento 10:00 pm

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 31, 2004

• WNBA gears up for final three weeks of regular season - WNBA
• Charlotte Sting Set Roster For September 1st - Charlotte Sting
• Silver Stars announce 2004 post-Olympic roster - San Antonio Stars
• Sacramento Monarchs Weekly update - Sacramento Monarchs

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