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Mercury-Sun Preview

Jul 27, 2009 - 5:55 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Phoenix (13-5) at Connecticut (9-6), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Mercury got off to an impressive start on their five-game road trip thanks to the return of Diana Taurasi, whose own trip East started with a homecoming of sorts.

There's another reunion on tap Tuesday.

Three days after returning from a two-game suspension in the WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun Arena, Taurasi will be back in the state where she became a college legend as the Mercury meet the Connecticut Sun.

Phoenix (13-5) went 1-1 without Taurasi, whom the team suspended for two games as a result of her DUI arrest July 2, but was thrilled to see the league's leading scorer (21.6 points per game) back.

Taurasi's return to the league came Saturday in the All-Star game. She had 18 points off the bench in the West's 130-118 victory in Uncasville, Conn., less than an hour from Storrs, where she led the University of Connecticut to three consecutive NCAA championships.

Her return to the Mercury came less than 24 hours later, and it couldn't have gone much better. Taurasi had 34 points and 13 rebounds - both season highs - in a 94-88 win in New York that gave Phoenix a 1 1/2-game edge over Seattle atop the Western Conference.

The Mercury have won seven of their past eight and are 5-0 against the East.

"I just tried to do a little bit of everything," said Taurasi, who had 31 points in the first three quarters. "Getting on the glass is one thing we're not good at, so we're trying to pick that side of the ball up a little bit more."

With Taurasi tiring in the fourth quarter and fellow All-Star Cappie Pondexter struggling on her way to a 3-of-16 day from the field, a third option stepped up. Le'coe Willingham had 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting, including the tiebreaking jumper with 34.5 seconds left.

Taurasi has averaged 21.6 points in five career games at Connecticut, scoring 25 in an 87-80 win there last season. She's scored 23.8 points per game overall in her career versus the Sun (9-6), who are in second place in the East.

While the Mercury may be playing better than any team in the league, the WNBA's longest winning streak belongs to Connecticut. The Sun used a season-high 28 points from forward Asjha Jones - their lone All-Star - to extend their streak to four with an 83-75 home win over Sacramento on Wednesday.

"Asjha Jones was sensational," coach Mike Thibault said. "It was a great win to head to the break with. Things look so much better when the ball is going in the basket."

Connecticut will likely need a similar effort from Jones on Tuesday if it's to extend its longest string of victories since winning seven in a row from July 20-Sept. 5, 2008.

Jones averaged 17.0 points as the Sun dropped both games to Phoenix last season.