Phoenix Mercury and Los Angeles Sparks win - WNBA Roundup August 9, 2011: Part 2
Phoenix Mercury 85 – Minnesota Lynx 80
On Tuesday night, Phoenix Mercury snapped franchise-best nine-game winning streak of Minnesota Lynx with an 85-80 victory at US Airways Center.
Diana Taurasi led Phoenix with 26 points, including a key steal in the final 20 seconds and six rebounds in the victory. Penny Taylor added 13 points and six rebounds while Candice Dupree recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds
and 12 points and blocked four shots for the winners. DeWanna Bonner came off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds while Temeka Johnson also punctuated 11 points to snap two-game losing streak of Phoenix.
Minnesota’s Maya Moore scored a game-high 28 points on an 8 for 12 from the field, including 6 of 6 beyond the arc, and 6 for 8 form free throw line. Seimone Augustus had 26 points and four rebounds for Lynx, who are heading the
league with a 16-5 record. Augustus shot a brilliant 11 for 18 from the floor. Lindsay Whalen added 15 points and six assists in the loss.
The Lynx shot 42.6 percent (29 for 68) from the floor and held the hosts to just 40.9 percent (27 for 66). Phoenix outscored Lynx 26-18 in points in the paint.
Six different players scored for Mercury as they maintained a 26-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Minnesota limited Phoenix to 22 points in the second quarter and tied the game at 48 at halftime. The Lynx held a 64-62 lead
at the end of the third period.
The score was tied at 77 with 48 seconds to go in the fourth quarter before Phoenix scored eight of their points in the last 36 seconds to seal the victory.
Los Angeles Sparks 71 – Tulsa Shock 66
Ticha Penicheiro racked up a season-high 23 points on a 7 for 10 shooting from the field as Los Angeles Sparks snapped their three-game losing streak with a 71-66 victory over Tulsa Shock. It was Tulsa’s 15th consecutive defeat.
Penicheiro also contributed seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals for the victors. Natasha Lacy and Tina Thompson had 12 points and five rebounds each for the Sparks, who are fifth in the Western Conference with an 8-13
record.
Tiffany Jackson led Tulsa with 18 points, shooting 7 for 11 from the floor, and grabbed five rebounds. Liz Cambage came off the bench with 16 points and five rebounds while Sheryl Swoopes added 12 points, five rebounds and four
assists in the losing effort.
Tulsa shot 43.3 percent (26 for 60) from the field while Sparks shot just 41 percent (25 for 61). Shock committed 16 turnovers as compared to just 10 by Los Angeles.
Los Angeles held Tulsa to 27 points in the first half and carried a four-point lead, 31-27, at halftime. The Sparks outscored Shock 30-24 in the third quarter and stretched their lead to 10 points, 61-51. Los Angeles maintained
their lead throughout the fourth quarter.
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