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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The New York Liberty bucked the trend and came
away with a win against the Washington Mystics.
|  | | Becky Hammon and the Liberty had lost five of their last six against Washington before Monday night's victory. |
The Liberty, who dropped five of six to Washington -- including
both meetings this season -- held the Mystrics to only seven points
in the final seven minutes and won 78-64 Monday night.
The Liberty closed with a 24-7 run over the final 6:44.
"I was worried that we were going to run out of gas," coach
Richie Adubato said of the Liberty, who have won eight of nine
overall. "We had too much heart and too much determination."
Adubato said the keys to the Liberty's recent success are center
Tari Phillips, acquired from Portland on the eve of the
season-opener, and guard Becky Hammon, who missed only one of four
3-point shots.
"Bless his heart," said Phillips, who scored 14 points and
grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out with 2:23 remaining and
the Liberty leading, 66-59. "I totally enjoy playing underneath
him. He's kind of taken me underneath his wing, and he just wants
me to go out there and produce. All I ever asked for was a
chance."
Vickie Johnson scored a season-high 22 points for the Liberty
(15-10). She was 7-for-12 from the field and put the clamps on the
Mystics' All-Star forward Chamique Holdsclaw, who finished with 15
points on 7-for-15 shooting.
New York's Tamika Whitmore added 16 points in front of 17,988 at
the MCI Center.
"This game was really important," Phillips said. "It was a
conference game, an away game, and a rival game. This was a game to
make a statement that this is a different team."
Murriel Page led the Mystics (11-13) with a season-high 18
points, on 8-for-10 shooting, and 11 rebounds. Nikki McCray added
17 points and Vicky Bullett had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Crystal Robinson hit a 3-pointer with 6:03 remaining, that
pulled New York into a 57-57 tie, and then made another with 4:40
left that gave the Liberty a 62-57 advantage.
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
RECAPS
Charlotte 82
Indiana 78
Portland 61
Detroit 57
New York 78
Washington 64
Phoenix 67
Cleveland 57
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Chamique Holdsclaw feeds Murriel Page under the basket.
avi: 995 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tamika Whitmore hits the turnaround jumper.
avi: 685 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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