PHOENIX (AP) -- Natalie Williams is a rugged inside player who can also run and shoot with the WNBA's best.
After scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in Utah's 81-62 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night, Williams said the Starzz just plain outran the Mercury.
"We played very well together in transition," Williams said. "We're in great shape. You know, training in Utah, it's easy to play here (at lower altitude). I think that's definitely what beat them. Down the stretch it was our transition offense."
Adrienne Goodson scored 16 points, Korie Hlede 14 and Margo
Dydek 10 for the Starzz, who won for only the second time in eight
games in Phoenix. The win in the opener for both teams also spoiled
the debut of Phoenix coach Cynthia Cooper, a two-time WNBA MVP
during her playing career with the Houston Comets.
"You can't pretend to win a game in which you shoot 29 percent,
and in which you allow your opponents to shoot 53 percent," Cooper
said. "You get outrebounded, they have more assists and fewer
turnovers. You can't pretend to win that game no matter what you
play."
Tonya Edwards had 13 of her 15 points in the second half, and
Trisha Fallon scored 10 for the Mercury, who failed to get a
starter into double-figures scoring.
Dydek picked up her fifth foul and went to the bench with 7:34
to play, and Williams went to work.
Williams hit a 16-footer that opened a 57-46 lead 25 seconds later, and she wiggled loose for a beneath-the-basket layup with 6:05 remaining to increase the Starzz's 61-47 lead that proved insurmountable.
The Mercury tied it twice in the final 10 minutes of the first half -- once at 17 on two free throws by Maria Stepanova with 9:28 left, and at 25 on two by Kristen Veal with 3:17 to go. But each time, the Mercury missed their next field-goal attempt and the Starzz pulled ahead.
Kate Starbird hit a 17-footer from the corner, and Amy Herrig
made a jumper for Utah with 2:02 remaining.
"They had a light show, all that stuff going on, and I was
really pumped up," coach Fred Williams said. "I told the team
beforehand they were going to make runs at us, and it happened in
the first half. I told them to just try and stay close and make
things happen on defense."
Utah scored the last two points of the first half, taking a
31-27 lead, and went on a 12-0 run in the first 3:17 of the second.
Dydek started the second-half surge with a turnaround jumper, Hlede had a basket and two free throws, and Goodson had six points, finishing with two baskets that sent the Starzz to a 43-27 lead.
"They got a lot of layups tonight, and you aren't going to win any game like that," Edwards said.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
|
