Auburn Hills – Wendy Palmer’s double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) helped the Shock get off to its first 1-0 start in the team’s three-year history. Detroit never trailed in the second half after taking an eight-point lead into the locker room, but the Monarchs did tie the game up on three occasions. Kedra Holland-Corn’s jumper with 9:26 to go evened the score for the final time at 60 apiece. Sacramento climbed to within one with 1:43 remaining, but Detroit never gave up the lead.

Elena Tornikidou scored a team-high 18 points and the Shock made healthy use of the free throw line outscoring Sacramento 22-5 from the charity stripe. The Shock bench also got into the act outscoring the Monarchs’ reserves 25-6. The game wouldn’t have been as close as it was save for some carelessness on the part of the Shock – Detroit turned the ball over 23 times which led to 25 Sacramento points.