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Shock-Mercury Preview

Jul 17, 2010 - 4:29 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Tulsa (3-15) at Phoenix (7-12), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Mercury are coming off a heartbreaking loss in their last game, but consecutive games against the league-worst Tulsa Shock may be a good way to get back on track.

In these teams' first meeting since Phoenix set a WNBA record for points in a regulation game, the Mercury look to improve to 3-0 in the season series as they host the Shock on Saturday.

Phoenix (7-12) went into the All-Star break having won back-to-back games following a six-game losing streak, but the defending WNBA champions dropped a 111-107 decision in triple overtime to Western Conference-leading Seattle on Wednesday.

"It was a regular-season game, money time comes later," coach Corey Gaines said. "No let down, sometimes you lose games, sometimes it's a good loss. I take it as a good loss."

Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 44 points - three shy of her league record - but she missed a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining and the score tied at 107. Sue Bird then hit a 3 with 6.4 seconds left and added a free throw in the closing seconds to secure the win in the WNBA's fifth triple-overtime game.

It was another tough defeat for the Mercury. Of their last seven losses, five have been by fewer than five points.

The latest defeat, however, did little to dampen spirits. While Phoenix is 10 games behind the Storm, it's only a half-game behind second-place Minnesota.

"(Seattle is) a team we're going to face in the playoffs," forward Penny Taylor said. "We've shown them that we're not going to lay die down and die and we fought really hard. Hopefully we can get better before we play this team again."

Although it's been on the losing end of some tough decisions recently, Phoenix hasn't had to sweat things out against Tulsa (4-15), recording a 110-96 road win on May 25 and a 116-84 home victory on June 12 in which the Mercury set a WNBA record for most points in a regulation game.

The Shock will be trying for back-to-back wins for the second time this season after they snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 75-70 victory over San Antonio on Friday. Ivory Latta scored 15 points, all on 3-pointers, helping Tulsa come back from a 51-44 deficit with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.

"I'm just so proud of my girls," said Latta, who was playing in her third game with the Shock after being released by Atlanta earlier this year. "We got a taste of victory, and we're going to try and keep going. We're learning each other's tendencies and coming together as a group."

With the victory, Tulsa pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Silver Stars for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Shock haven't won back-to-back games since May 29-June 4.

After Saturday, the Mercury don't play again until they visit Tulsa on Thursday. The Shock visit Los Angeles on Tuesday before the rematch.