• Recap
• Bleachers

Taurasi leads Mercury past Monarchs

Aug 20, 2007 - 1:29 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHOENIX (Ticker) - In a potential second-round playoff match-up, Diana Taurasi scored 24 points to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 87-73 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on Sunday.

Penny Taylor added 14 points and was 10-10 from the foul line while Cappie Pondexter chipped in with 13 for Phoenix (23-11) which finished the season by winning their last five games and 11 of their last 12.

Holding a 43-40 advantage at the start of the third quarter, Phoenix, the top seed in the Western Conference, put the game away with a 17-5 run to take a 65-50 lead. Taurasi and Taylor combined for 15 of the 17 points.

The Monarchs (19-15), who finished the season 5-6 in their last 11 games, hit only one field goal in nine attempts during that stretch.

With their first two points in the second quarter, the Mercury broke a WNBA scoring record for most points in a season by a team. It was the second consecutive season under coach Paul Westhead the Phoenix set the mark.

Rebekkah Brunson scored 19 points and Yolanda Griffith added 11 for the Monarchs who are the third seed in the west. They will host the No. 2 San Antonio Silver Stars on Thursday.

The Mercury will travel to Seattle to open the playoffs against the No. 4 Seattle Storm on Friday. The Mercury's only loss in their last 11 games was against Seattle 111-101 August 4.