Sun are better by a whole lot

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Basketball fans in Connecticut have come to know and love Diana Taurasi, who helped the University of Connecticut win three national titles in her four years there. Still, they don't love her that much.

So the 8,811 fans at Mohegan Sun Arena weren't at all disappointed yesterday when she scored just 13 points as her Phoenix Mercury fell to the Connecticut Sun, 76-67.

Connecticut forward Asjha Jones had a game-high 24 points, going 10 for 15 from the floor and 4 for 5 from the line. Teammates Nykesha Sales and Katie Douglas each had 18 points.

Sun coach Mike Thibault said up until yesterday his team (3-2) hadn't played a complete game, even when it won.

"That's a team I recognize a little bit more," he said after the game.

Still, even when things looked good yesterday, he likely held his breath.

The Sun took a 13-2 lead as the Mercury missed 8 of 9 shots and committed two turnovers in the first 5:52. Taurasi sank a 3-pointer, and when Phoenix closed the gap to 13-8, it looked like the Mercury might be ready to show why they're in first place in the WNBA's Western Conference at 4-2.

But the Sun got jump shots by Jones and Douglas, and even though the Mercury got within 2 (17-15) with a 7-point run, the Sun answered with a 3-pointer and Connecticut closed the quarter ahead, 20-15.

The Sun were up at the half, 35-27, and took a 21-point lead (51-30) in the third quarter.

"It makes the game easier when you're not down by 20 points every night," guard Lindsay Whalen said.

Added Jones, "I was really relaxed. I just worried about what I needed to do defensively." She had seven rebounds, and the team had 47 to the Mercury's 38, which was a big reason Thibault was smiling after the game.

"Our quick start came primarily defensively," he said. "We limited them to one shot each possession, we contested shots, and we got out and ran a little bit. We followed the game plan pretty much on both sides of the court."

Mercury coach Paul Westhead was not so happy.

"When you can't make a shot, you better make free throws," he said. (Phoenix was 11 for 17 from the line.) "It was just one of those days. It's so early in the season, it's hard to predict."

The Mercury, who made 25 of 69 shots (36.2 percent), were led by Tangela Smith (18 points).

Taurasi said she believes Phoenix is better this year but "we didn't show it [yesterday], we didn't play together as a group."

Thibault finally got the 40 minutes of good play he's been waiting for from his Sun, but he said he didn't say anything along the lines of "Don't mess this up now" when talking to the team at halftime.

"No, I never talk to them like that, that's negative thinking, to them," he said.

"I just told them to just keep playing like you did. Do the things you did to get the lead, and remember the feeling you had when you stepped on the court and focus on that."