by Odeen Domingo of the Arizona Republic:
Just a little bit more of both earned the Mercury their first win of the season.
Just a little bit more of both earned the Mercury their first win of the season.
The Mercury beat the Indiana Fever 93-89 in overtime Sunday. It was a win they needed for their own psyche after starting the season 0-3. A win they needed for their fans, including the 7,701 at US Airways Center. And a win they needed before embarking on a four-game, eight-day road trip.
The Mercury came back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and a five-point deficit in overtime. With the intensity displayed on the court, it didn't look like the fourth game of the season.
"It felt like Game 5 of the (WNBA) Finals," Diana Taurasi said. "That's how we have to treat every game. I think today, we showed the kind of team we could be. But the key is to build on it. It's no good if it's just for one game."
Taurasi scored a game-high 32 points, seven in overtime (all from the free-throw line). Reserve guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris contributed 17 points and two clutch free throws from Temeka Johnson at the end of regulation. And the Mercury needed all of Candice Dupree's 18 rebounds (eight offensive) and 21 points. It was Dupree's third consecutive double-double, the longest streak of her career.
"They had the fight in them today," Mercury coach Corey Gaines said. "So that really helps. . . . They are winners in there. You forget how tough (the WNBA) is."
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