PHOENIX, June 9 (Ticker) -- Rookie Cappie Pondexter played a big role
in helping the Phoenix Mercury get out of an early hole.
Pondexter scored 27 points and Diana Taurasi added 22 as the
Mercury claimed a second straight win with a 93-79 victory over
the slumping Detroit Shock.
Starting the season with four straight losses, Phoenix (2-4) has
begun to turn its season around with offense, scoring at least
90 points for the second straight contest.
The Mercury's first-round draft pick, Pondexter has played a
major role, averaging 23.7 points to begin her career. In this
one, the former Rutgers star shot 10-of-15 from the field with a
pair of 3-pointers.
Pondexter scored 12 points in the opening half to stake Phoenix
to a 45-36 edge. Detroit, which lost for the third time in four
games, got no closer than seven points thereafter.
Kamila Vodichkova scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds for
the Mercury, who overcame a 38-28 deficit on the boards by
shooting 52 percent (35-of-67).
Cheryl Ford scored 20 points and pulled down 15 rebounds for the
Shock, who shot just 27 percent (3-of-11) on 3-pointers and
committed 17 turnovers.





