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09/07/10 09:05:00
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09/07 21:03 CDT McCoughtry's 42 lead Dream past Liberty, 105-93
McCoughtry's 42 lead Dream past Liberty, 105-93
By CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) -- Angel McCoughtry scored a career-high 42 points to win a
high-scoring duel with Cappie Pondexter, and the Atlanta Dream beat the New
York Liberty 105-93 on Tuesday night to complete their unlikely march to the
WNBA finals.
Pondexter led New York with 36 points, her postseason high mark, and nine
assists.
The Dream, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, swept Washington
in the first round before also winning two straight over the Liberty in the
conference finals.
Atlanta, a third-year expansion franchise which set a league record with 30
losses only two years ago, will face the Western Conference champion Seattle
Storm in the WNBA finals. The best-of-five series begins Sunday in Seattle.
Atlanta players jumped on the scorer's table and streamers fell from the
Philips Arena rook after the final buzzer.
The Dream led by 14 late in the first half before New York rallied to pull even
at 73-73 entering the fourth quarter.
Atlanta's Coco Miller, who had 19 points, opened the final period with a
3-pointer. New York took its last lead at 77-76 on a basket by Taj
McWilliams-Franklin. McCoughtry answered with two free throws, and the Dream
extended the lead in the final 8 minutes.
McCoughtry's previous career high was 34 points.
Erika DeSouza had 15 points and Iziane Castro Marques had 11 for Atlanta.
Essence Carson had 20 points and Plenette Pierson added 13 before fouling out
for New York.
Atlanta was second in the league with its regular-season average of 85.4 points
per game. The Dream picked up the scoring pace by scoring 98 points per game in
the first-round series against Washington.
Dream coach Marynell Meadors tweaked her lineup against Washington. A smaller
look only added to Atlanta's fast-break potential, and the Dream kept up the
up-tempo pace against New York.
With McCoughtry leading the way, the Dream had 19 fast-break points in the
first half and led 55-44 at the break.
The Liberty opened the second half with a 14-4 run to cut Atlanta's lead to
59-58.
McCoughtry responded with back-to-back baskets for Atlanta.
Tempers flared and players had to be separated with 5:53 remaining in the third
period following McWilliams-Franklin's foul on DeSouza, who had an animated
reaction and was called for a technical foul. Meadors and the Dream argued the
call.
There was another delay later in the period due to a clock malfunction.
New York continued its comeback, finally pulling even for the first time at
70-all on a three-point play by Carson. A 3-pointer by Pondexter gave New York
the lead, before the period ended with the second tie of the game, at 73-all.
New York's Janel McCarville missed her third straight game with a sprained
ankle. McCarville was with the team but was not in uniform.
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