Sunday, June 5, 2011

MEEK, MERCURY DROP OPENER TO SEATTLE

SEATTLE (AP) Sue Bird scored 13 points and handed out 10 assists, Camille Little led Seattle with 18 points and the defending WNBA champion Storm opened the 2011 season with a 78-71 win over of the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday.

Lauren Jackson added 15 points and seven rebounds as Seattle built a big fourth-quarter lead and then watched Phoenix's Diana Taurasi try to rally the Mercury in the closing seconds.

Taurasi scored a game-high 31, including 11 in the closing minutes as Phoenix trimmed a 19-point deficit to within five with 16 seconds left.

Temeka Johnson had four points, four rebounds and four assists.

Box Score: http://on.nba.com/jWsZKR