Mercury Acquires Andrea Riley

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Mercury has acquired guard Andrea Riley from the Tulsa Shock in exchange for Temeka Johnson, the club announced today.

Riley was originally taken eighth overall in the 2010 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, coming off a senior season at Oklahoma State University where she was named the 2010 Nancy Lieberman Award recipient as the nation’s top point guard. The 5-5 guard averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to lead the league in scoring three-straight seasons. For her efforts, she was a unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection and chosen as a Second Team All-America by the Associated Press.

“Andrea Riley is someone we had our eye on coming out of college,” Head Coach and General Manager Corey Gaines said. “She is a fast guard who can score the ball and shoot the three. She has the ability to change the pace of the game and we think she is a player who can thrive in our system.”

Prior to the 2011 season, Riley was traded to the Tulsa Shock. On March 29, 2011, nine weeks before the start of her second season in the WNBA, Riley gave birth to a daughter, Tiana. She returned to the court and played 33 of Tulsa’s 34 games that season, missing only the first game of the year. Riley averaged 6.0 points and 1.8 assists in 19.0 minutes per game. She started 10 of those 33 games, including the final five games of the season in place of the injured Ivory Latta. In those five games as the designated starter, Riley averaged 13.2 points and 3.8 assists.

“We thank Temeka for her contributions to this organization, including helping lead us to our second WNBA championship,” President and COO Amber Cox said. “She is a great ambassador for the league and in her communities and we wish her the best.”

The move comes in the midst of WNBA free agency. Teams can begin speaking with available free agents on January 15.

Flexible ticket packages for the 2012 season are available starting as low as $10 for lower-level seats by calling 602-252-WNBA or visiting phoenixmercury.com. The 2012 season tips off in May.