Thursday, June 28, 2007
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Swin Cash had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Deanna Nolan scored seven points in a key third-quarter run, leading the Detroit Shock to a 77-74 victory over the Connecticut Sun Wednesday.
Nolan finished with 17 points for the Shock, who improved to 11-2 despite missing All-Star forward Cheryl Ford (knee). Plenette Pierson added 15 points, and Shannon Johnson finished with 12.
Asjha Jones scored 16 and Margo Dydek had 12 for the Sun (5-10). Katie Douglas finished with nine points, seven below her average. Nykesha Sales sat out due to a sprained ankle.
Connecticut led for most of the first three quarters, but Detroit’s defense took over late in the third. The Shock forced consecutive shot-clock violations as part of a 16-2 run that gave them a 57-49 lead.
Jamie Carey ended Detroit’s surge with a long 3-pointer, but the Shock still led 59-53 heading into the fourth. The Sun got as close as 59-56 early in the final quarter, but Pierson’s reverse layup gave Detroit a bigger cushion.
Detroit led 73-62 with 2:30 to play, but Connecticut scored five points on one possession when Douglas was fouled as she hit a 3-pointer. Douglas missed the free throw, but Lindsay Whalen scored on the rebound. Jones’ layup after a turnover by the Shock made it 73-69 with 1:50 to go.
Detroit turned over the ball again, but Evanthia Maltsi missed two straight 3-point attempts to help the Shock hang on.
The game got rough down the stretch. Katie Smith was called for a technical after shoving Douglas, and Dydek was given a flagrant foul for a blow to Pierson’s head.