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Currie scores 20 as Mystics cruise past Liberty

Jun 13, 2010 - 3:21 AM WASHINGTON(AP) -- Monique Currie scored 20 points to lead the Washington Mystics to an 82-65 victory over the New York Liberty on Saturday night.

Crystal Langhorne had 13 points and nine rebounds, Lindsey Harding also scored 13 and Matee Ajavon added 11 to help the Mystics (6-4) win their second straight. Washington was coming off a 95-78 victory at Chicago on Friday night.

"I'm really proud of our team in back to back wins," coach Julie Plank said. "Our team played really well and I want to continue to get better and better. I think we have worked on execution and moving the ball better and putting some different sets in."

Cappie Pondexter scored 20 points and Tiffany Jackson had 12 for the Liberty (4-5), who have lost three of five.

The Mystics beat the Liberty for the second time this season. Washington won 77-61 at home on May 21.

Washington scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed. The Mystics led by 12 at halftime and began pulling away late in the third quarter. Harding scored seven points during a 13-0 run that stretched the lead to 74-49 with 7:20 left in the game.

"We spent most of the first half frustrated," Liberty coach Anne Donovan said. "Instead of taking a reflective breath and executing harder we got frustrated and we played like that. We played with lack of energy, lack of composure. In the second half I think we got it together better but we can't have 38 points on turnovers. That's not going to win a game, I don't care who you're playing."

Langhorne had a pair of jumpers during a 9-0 run that gave the Mystics a 19-6 lead with 3:05 left in the first quarter.

"It started from the beginning of the game," Pondexter said. "And we never recovered. We made strides to win the game but when you play a great team, strides aren't enough."

Leilani Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to pull the Liberty within four with 6:16 to go in the first half, but Washington closed the first half with a 12-4 run to take a 43-31 lead at the break.