NEW YORK (AP) -- The Cleveland Rockers proved why they are the
top defensive team in the WNBA.
The Rockers controlled the defensive boards and held New York to
a season-worst 28.8 percent shooting in a 58-43 victory over the
Liberty on Saturday.
Cleveland, which is limiting teams to a league-best 37-percent
shooting, moved 3½ games ahead of second-place New York in the
Eastern Conference.
The Liberty managed just seven field goals in the first half.
"We were ice-cold," New York coach Richie Adubato said.
The teams combined to shoot just 3-for-22 in the first eight
minutes of the defensive struggle, before a crowd of 18,009 at
Madison Square Garden.
The Rockers, who finished with 10 steals, controlled the boards
and finished with 27 rebounds, including 22 on the defensive end.
"Our ability to defend is reinforced by our ability to
rebound," Cleveland coach Dan Hughes said. "We wanted to play
hard, and that's where you can put a lot of your aggression."
Ann Wauters scored 14 points and Merlakia Jones added 11 points
and 11 rebounds for the Rockers, who swept the season series 3-0
and won for the 10th time in 11 games.
Tari Phillips had 14 points for the Liberty (18-10), who have
lost five of seven games.
Trailing by eight points at halftime, New York closed within
28-27 on Robinson's jumper, shortly after Wauters, the No. 1 draft
pick in 2000, collected her third foul with 16:35 remaining.
With the 6-foot-4 Wauters on the bench, the Rockers went on a
12-0 run for a 40-27 lead with nine minutes left.
"I have three really quality post players that saved me,"
Hughes said. "Chasity Melvin came in and did a good job."
New York responded with two baskets by Phillips and a layup by
Becky Hammon to cut the deficit to seven points, but Jennifer
Rizzotti's 3-pointer pushed the lead to 43-33.
A three-point play by Vickie Johnson, who had seven points,
closed the gap to 49-40 with 2:14 remaining, but the Liberty could
get no closer.
An uncontested layup by Rushia Brown and Cleveland free throws
in the final minute secured the win.
The Liberty missed their first eight shots in the opening 6:27
before Whitmore hit a jumper, cutting New York's deficit to 5-2. A
baseline jumper by Jones and free throw after a technical foul on
Adubato extended the Rockers' lead to 15-6 with 8:35 remaining.
Cleveland went on a 10-1 run in the next five minutes and had
its biggest lead of the half, 25-7.
The Liberty closed that half with a 10-0 run and trailed 25-17.
Robinson had six points in the burst for New York, which shot just
23.3 percent in the first half.
Cleveland shot 39.1 percent in the first half.
The Liberty played without 6-foot-3 center Sue Wicks, who
sprained her right ankle against Detroit on Wednesday. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
Cleveland team page
New York team page
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