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Liberty-Sun Preview

Jul 21, 2010 - 8:46 PM By ZAC POWELL STATS Writer

New York (10-10) at Connecticut (12-9), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Connecticut Sun have put a three-game losing streak behind them by beating the two teams tied for first place in the Eastern Conference. Now they are on the verge of moving into that top spot.

The Sun go for a third straight victory when the last-place New York Liberty come to Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night.

Connecticut stumbled into the All-Star break having lost a season-high three straight and five of seven. The Sun, however, defeated Indiana on Wednesday and Atlanta on Saturday to get back on track in the hotly contested East race.

Connecticut (12-8) is just one game out of first, but trails the Fever, Dream and Washington Mystics.

"The All-Star break came at a perfect time for us," forward Asjha Jones said. `"During the break we knew we were still right there. Every game is like a playoff game for us in the East."

The Sun further tightened up the standings with a 96-80 comeback win over the Dream last weekend. Tina Charles had 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Kara Lawson scored 18 points, Jones 15 and Sandrine Gruda 14 to lift Connecticut in the opener of a season-high five-game homestand.

The Sun, a conference-best 8-1 at home, face Washington and Atlanta on the homestand along with a pair of sub-.500 clubs in New York and Los Angeles.

Beating the Liberty, though, could prove to be a challenge. Cappie Pondexter is coming off a 40-point performance in an 84-81 loss to Indiana on Sunday, and New York rallied from 16 down to defeat Connecticut 77-68 in the teams' last matchup June 27 at Madison Square Garden.

The Liberty (9-10) had won two in a row before Sunday and are 3 1/2 games out of first place despite sitting last in the East.

"It's not about the points, it's about getting wins," said Pondexter, who scored 19 in the last meeting with the Sun and had 30 points in a 57-54 win over Chicago on July 11. "We're definitely in the playoff race ... trying to get a spot in the East, so it's disappointing but we have to let it go. It's past us."

Pondexter's worst performance of the season came against the Sun on June 4, a 75-68 Connecticut home victory. She scored a season-low eight points - the only time she has been held to single digits in 2010 - and shot 3 of 14 from the field.

While Connecticut will try to again shut down Pondexter at home, New York will have to contend with Gruda, the 6-foot-4 reserve who has stepped it up since the break. Gruda, scoring 13.4 points per game on the season, has averaged 17.5 in two contests since the Sun resumed play.