WNBA ROUNDUP Thursday's games

Monarchs 79, Liberty 58
NEW YORK -- Erin Buescher scored 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and Nicole Powell added 16 points as defending champion Sacramento routed New York. DeMya Walker had 14 points and Yolanda Griffith added 12 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento (10-8), which won for the third time in four games. Griffith had nine rebounds to become the second WNBA player to top 2,000 for her career. Shameka Christon and Sherill Baker scored 11 points apiece to lead the Liberty (4-12), losers of three straight. Becky Hammon, an All-Star starter for the East, finished with a season-low five points on 2-for-12 shooting. She also had six rebounds to top 500 in her career.
Sun 76, Sting 71
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Lindsay Whalen scored 20 points and made all 12 of her free throws to lead Connecticut. Charlotte tied it three times in the final three minutes, but the Sun's free-throw shooting and timely defense made the difference down the stretch. Connecticut was 14-of-14 at the line in the closing minutes and Whalen hit all eight of her free throw attempts in that stretch. Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots for the Sun (13-5). Margo Dydek finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for Connecticut. Tangela Smith had 17 points to lead Charlotte.
Mercury 91, Shock 76
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Cappie Pondexter scored a WNBA rookie-record 35 points for Phoenix. Pondexter broke the mark of 32 set earlier this season by Minnesota's Seimone Augustus. Kelly Miller added 14 points for Phoenix, while WNBA leading scorer Diana Taurasi had 13. Deanna Nolan led the Shock with 15 points, but All-Stars Ruth Riley, Cheryl Ford and Swin Cash combined for seven points on 3-for-14 shooting.
Associated Press
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