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Mystics-Liberty Preview

Aug 5, 2010 - 2:49 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Washington (16-10) at New York (15-11), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Washington Mystics fell into second place in the Eastern Conference following a road loss last month to the New York Liberty. The Mystics could regain a share of the top spot with a victory in this matchup at Madison Square Garden.

Washington tries to match a season high with its fourth straight victory Friday night when it faces a Liberty team looking to win five in a row for the first time in more than three years.

Riding a four-game winning streak into New York on July 15, the Mystics (16-10) lost 75-67 to drop a game behind Atlanta for first in the East.

With a win against the Liberty and an Indiana victory over the Dream on Friday, the Mystics will move into a first-place tie with the defending conference champion Fever.

Washington, though, could be without Lindsey Harding in this matchup. The point guard, who is averaging 14.7 points and 3.0 assists in three games versus the Liberty this season, scored 16 and handed out six assists in Tuesday's 86-78 win at Atlanta before leaving in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

"With Lindsey going down, everybody else had to step it up," Matee Ajavon said after scoring 10 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter. "We had to win the war and get the W. Every game counts."

The top four teams in the East are separated by just two games, and the race will become even closer if Indiana defeats Atlanta and the surging Liberty (15-11) pull even with Washington with their first five-game winning streak since May 20-June 5, 2007.

Nicole Powell scored a season-high 20 points, Cappie Pondexter added 19 and center Janel McCarville posted her third double-double of the season with 11 and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's 82-72 victory at Indiana.

Led by Powell's six 3s, the Liberty hit 12 of 18 from 3-point range. New York, winners of eight of 10, is shooting 47.0 percent from beyond the arc over the last five games.

"We're a great offensive team," said Pondexter, who is scoring 17.0 points per game against Washington this season - 3.8 less than her season average. "Our starting five are capable of putting up big numbers. We're starting to get our momentum going right now and you're seeing different players step up."

If Harding is unavailable, the Mystics will need Crystal Langhorne to step up. The forward is averaging 14.0 points and 10.0 rebounds against the Liberty this season, including 19 points and 10 boards in last month's loss at MSG.

McCarville had a season high-tying 16 points and 12 rebounds in that contest.

New York has won its last three home games, but only by an average of 6.0 points. Washington will try to win three straight on road for first time since June 13-26, 2008.