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Mercury-Sun Preview

Jun 24, 2010 - 9:10 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Phoenix (5-7) at Connecticut (8-4), 7:30 p.m. EDT

It's been nearly two years since the Phoenix Mercury lost three games in a row. How well they contain red-hot rookie Tina Charles could determine whether they prevent that from happening again.

The Mercury couldn't stop Charles in a home loss earlier this week, but they'll try again Friday night in a matchup with the Connecticut Sun to start a three-game eastern road trip.

Phoenix claimed its second WNBA title in three years in 2009 but has struggled at the start of this season, giving up a league-high 92.5 points per game. Despite averaging a league-best 93.4 points, the Mercury often have little margin for error.

In their past two defeats, they've lost by a combined five points while giving up an average of 102.0. Continuing that trend could send Phoenix (5-7) to three consecutive defeats for the first time since July 10-15, 2008, and four straight on the road for the first time since a six-game skid July 6-Sept. 9 of that season.

Slowing down Charles could be the key to avoid extending both losing streaks.

Connecticut's leading scorer and this year's No. 1 overall draft pick has averaged 21.3 points and 15.7 rebounds over the last three games. She helped the Sun (8-4) earn their first victory in Phoenix in five years Sunday by scoring 24 points, including the deciding free throws with 1:17 remaining.

Sandrine Gruda added a season-high 21 points, Renee Montgomery matched a career high with 19 and Charles grabbed 12 rebounds in the 96-94 win, which ended a five-game slide to the Mercury. Diana Taurasi had 24 points and Penny Taylor contributed 23 for Phoenix, which fell short after trailing by 21 in the third quarter.

"You can take the eight minutes of good basketball, but we have to look at the other side: 32 minutes of not looking very good," said Taurasi, whose team has scored at least 91 points in five consecutive games.

Charles had 14 points and 16 rebounds Tuesday night against Chicago, but the Sun saw their eight-game home winning streak end with an 86-77 loss. After scoring 28 points in the second quarter, Connecticut had 29 in the second half.

"We played bad basketball that I've been worried about for two days," coach Mike Thibault said. "Chicago played a great second half. They defended, and we didn't."

Thibault's club now tries to improve to 5-0 this season against the Western Conference, which has one team above .500 - league-best Seattle.

The Sun, though, have dropped consecutive home matchups with the Mercury after winning three of four following their move from Orlando in 2003.

Taurasi has averaged 24.4 points in the past five overall meetings with Connecticut but has averaged 18.3 - nearly two below her career mark - in her last three trips to the state where she starred in college.