Who needs Madison Square Garden?
The Liberty might want to consider extending their three-summer run at the Prudential Center, having improved to 4-0 at home this season after coming back from an 11-point second-half deficit and pulling out a 78-68 win over the Connecticut Sun Friday night in Newark.
After shooting 3-of-20 in the first quarter and finishing with 24 points in an absolutely atrocious first half, the Liberty (4-2) led a remarkable reversal with 51.3 percent shooting in the second half, sparked by star guard Cappie Pondexter, who finished with a game-high 20 points despite scoring her first basket in the final 10 seconds of the first half.
Katie Smith added 10 points to become the second-leading scorer in WNBA history.
“When we get going offensively and Cappie gets going, we’re a pretty special ballclub at times,” Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said. “When Cappie’s not fully engaged, she’s going to miss some shots she should normally make. When she really gets into it and wants to take over the game, she’s one of the best in the world, if not the best at doing that.”
The Liberty shot 23.5 percent in the first half and committed 13 turnovers. The Sun (2-4) broke an early 6-6 tie with a 7-0 run and didn’t trail until the final play of the third quarter, with Pondexter opening 0-for-7 from the field. They trailed 33-24 at halftime.
“I talked to them in very stern language,” Laimbeer said. “Our defense is a great constant for us, but in the first half we were throwing the ball all over the gym. It was embarrassing to watch. We got it together finally in the third quarter and showed how good we can be.”
Center Kara Braxton finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds and helped hold the league’s reigning MVP, Connecticut’s Tina Charles, to seven points on 3-of-17 shooting. Pondexter put the team on her back with 14 third-quarter points, including a deep jumper at the buzzer, which gave the Liberty a 56-55 lead.
“We weren’t as focused in the first half and that’s why they were able to get that lead,” Pondexter said. “I was just in a more aggressive mind-set in the second half.”
Though the Liberty held a 57-36 rebounding advantage, Connecticut cut the lead to 72-68 with just over two minutes remaining in the game. But 5-foot-5 Leilani Mitchell’s 10 points and four rebounds in the fourth quarter extinguished the Sun’s hopes of a similar comeback.
***
The Liberty will waive veteran Cheryl Ford Saturday, who has not played this season because of a knee injury.