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Saturday, Jul. 8 7:30pm ET
Teams trade 11-2 runs in second half | |||||
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BOX SCORE
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tamika Whitmore is starting to look more like she did in her rookie season for the New York Liberty. Whitmore, who has shed about 30 pounds since training camp began in early May, tied a season high with 17 points as the New York Liberty beat the expansion Miami Sol 63-51 Saturday night. "I haven't been getting the ball in the hole, but I knew it was a matter of time," said Whitmore, who started her fourth game of the season. "I went to the hole with a lot more aggression." Vickie Johnson added 14 points as the Liberty (10-9) moved above .500 for the first time this season. Whitmore and Johnson finished a combined 13-for-15 from the field for New York, which shot 53 percent. "It was a terrific effort (despite) having to play six games in nine days," Liberty coach Richie Adubato said. Tari Phillips had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Liberty, winners of a season-high three straight games. Sharon Manning and Marlies Askamp led Miami (6-12) with eight points apiece. New York outscored the Sol 20-10 in the final eight minutes. Reserve Becky Hammon, who finished with 11 points, scored eight in the run, and Johnson added seven. "I think the big play in the game was when Sue Wicks came up with a big rebound and kicked it out, and Johnson made a 3-point shot," Miami coach Ron Rothstein said. "That made it a nine-point lead around the four-minute mark. That was the backbreaker." The Sol trimmed the lead to 43-41 on Shantia Owens' jumper, but the Liberty responded with an 11-0 run capped by Hammon's two free throws, for a 54-41 lead with 2:42 remaining. The Sol were outscored 34-22 in the paint. "Whitmore was unstoppable, she's getting better and better," Miami's Debbie Black said. "She's young and tough in the paint. She can hit outside shots and make moves inside." Ahead by four at halftime, New York went on an 8-1 run behind Whitmore's six points for a 39-28 lead with 15:59 remaining. Miami closed within 41-37 on Black's 3-pointer, two baskets by Askamp and two free throws by Kisha Ford with 8:27 left. Katrina Colleton and Black added seven points each for the Sol, who made just 5-of-10 free throws. After New York shot 5-for-6 to open the game, Miami took its first lead, 12-11 on Manning's turnaround jumper at 14:38. Hammon's 3-pointer gave New York a 22-19 lead, but Milena Flores responded a 3-pointer. Neither team had more than a three-point lead until Whitmore made a free throw for a 31-27 halftime advantage. "Tamika's dedication has been great," Wicks said. "Her stamina and endurance weren't there early, but she lost all that weight. Thirty pounds is a lot of weight to lose." New York shot 54 percent in the first half behind Whitmore's 11 points on 4-for-4 shooting. | ALSO SEE WNBA Scoreboard RECAPS Phoenix 66 Indiana 65
New York 63 AUDIO/VIDEO   Vickie Johnson dishes to Tamika Whitmore for two.avi: 463 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1 Teresa Weatherspoon dishes the no-look pass to Crystal Robinson.avi: 374 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1 | |||||