• Recap
• Bleachers

Taurasi, Mercury rout Comets

May 26, 2007 - 4:48 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury rebounded nicely against the Houston Comets.

Taurasi scored 37 points and Cappie Pondexter added 22 as the Mercury used a stellar second half to post a 111-85 victory over the Comets on Friday night.

Penny Taylor scored 18 points for Phoenix, which fell one point short of its franchise record for points in a game. The Mercury netted 112 points in a contest at Charlotte on August 3, 2006.

Phoenix suffered a disappointing 100-87 loss against the Seattle Storm on Wednesday. Pondexter had 31 points, but Taurasi managed only 14 in the loss. It was a totally different story for the star guard this time around.

One of the purest scorers in the WNBA, Taurasi was unstoppable, shooting 11-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-9 on 3-pointers. She fell just short of her career high of 41 points.

Leading, 50-47, entering the third quarter, the Mercury outscored the Comets, 61-38, after halftime. Taurasi scored 18 on 5-of-8 shooting in the second half.

Pondexter was 8-of-17 from the field and Taylor shot 6-of-13 for Phoenix, which shot 46 percent (37-of-80) from the field, including 12-of-27 from the arc. The Mercury also dished out 25 assists.

Tina Thompson scored 32 points and Ashley Shields added 21 for the Comets, who shot 35 percent (24-of-69) from the field and committed 26 turnovers.