The Detroit Shock and Connecticut Sun have split two playoff series in the last three seasons and nearly met again in the Eastern Conference finals a year ago.

But in the regular season, it's been a one-sided rivalry.

The Shock will look for their 10th straight regular-season win over the Sun on Tuesday night when the WNBA's top two teams meet in Connecticut in the opener of a home-and-home set.

Detroit (10-3) has won three straight to tie Connecticut (10-3) atop the conference standings, and it appears the teams that have more wins than anyone in the East over the past five seasons are headed down the same road in 2008.

But even as each team has enjoyed similar success recently, the Shock have dominated the Sun over the past few seasons. They've won nine meetings in a row, and the teams will play three times in the next two weeks, including a matchup on Thursday in Detroit.

"I think we can match up to anyone in the league," Shock coach Bill Laimbeer said. "We feel really good going against them. We'll be ready to play."

After losing back-to-back games in Seattle and Los Angeles in early June, the Shock have picked up their play. They concluded a four-game road trip with a win over defending champion Phoenix on June 14, returned home to beat Minnesota on Friday, and registered their most lopsided victory of the season on Sunday, 97-76 in Atlanta.

It was the third straight game in double figures for forward Tasha Humphrey, who scored 16 points to go along with nine rebounds and five steals.

Humphrey, a rookie out of Georgia, averaged just 3.2 points in the first six games she played this season, but has averaged 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in her last three.

"She had a lot of baby fat at first," Laimbeer said. "We were unsure about her making the team. But since she dropped 20 pounds, she is able to contribute more to this team."

Fellow forward Cheryl Ford is averaging 16.5 points and 13.0 rebounds over her last two games.

Connecticut is returning home after a five-game road trip where it went 3-2, alternating wins and losses. The Sun rebounded from a 21-point loss at Phoenix Wednesday by beating Sacramento 72-56 on Friday.

"I think it was our defense that got our offense going," coach Mike Thibault said after his team held the Monarchs to 34.4 percent shooting. "We also did a good job of taking care of the ball and not giving them second chances."

The 56 points were the fewest Connecticut has allowed this season.

The Sun have four players averaging in double figures and three who score at least 13.8 points per game. Asjha Jones leads the way with 15.5 per game, and she's averaged 18.0 over her last seven contests.

Detroit (80.8 ppg, 38.4 rebounds per game) and Connecticut (79.5 ppg, 36.7 rpg) are the top scoring and rebounding teams in the East.