Shock-Silver Stars Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Aug 06 2011 12:49AM

Hosting the lowly Tulsa Shock should help the San Antonio Silver Stars end their frustrating losing streak.

The Silver Stars look to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive loss while extending the visiting Shock's skid to a franchise-record 14 straight games Saturday night.

For the second time in five days, San Antonio (11-8) will try to bounce back from a last-second loss to Western Conference-leading Minnesota.

The Silver Stars lost 70-69 to the Lynx on Lindsay Whalen's game-winning jumper Sunday. After falling 78-64 at Seattle on Tuesday, San Antonio suffered a 62-60 defeat Thursday as Minnesota's Taj McWilliams-Franklin hit a jumper with 1.3 seconds left.

The Silver Stars have dropped seven of 11 since opening the season 7-1.

"We've got to shake these off because we competed well," guard Becky Hammon said. "We've got more games to come and playoffs in the future, so some of these little heartbreakers you've got to let go and do better next time."

The Silver Stars don't want to be involved in a close game Saturday while trying for a fifth consecutive victory over Tulsa (1-18), which last won 77-59 over Washington on June 18.

Though San Antonio is averaging 16.2 points fewer than its 80.5 season average during the three-game skid, it has averaged 95.3 during the four-game winning streak over the Shock. The Silver Stars have won the first two 2011 meetings by an average margin of 25.5 points.

Sophia Young scored 20 points and Hammon added 18 in a 93-73 season-opening home win over Tulsa on June 4.

The Silver Stars, however, will be without All-Star rookie forward Danielle Adams (14.3 points per game) for a fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right foot.

Though San Antonio is 1-3 without Adams, it might not miss her too much against a Tulsa squad that is coming off an 85-65 home loss to Indiana on Friday. Tiffany Jackson and Jennifer Lacy scored 12 points each, but the Shock lost for the 13th straight time to tie the 2002 club record set when the franchise was in Detroit.

The Shock have been outscored by an average of 17.1 points during the skid.

"I don't know what that reason is," forward Kayla Pedersen said. "We're all trying to find it. We've been saying that the whole year. We don't know the answer right now."

Jackson scored Tulsa's final six points to eclipse 1,000 for her career.

"It's an honor and a privilege and I'm really excited about it," said Jackson, third on the team averaging 11.2 points.

Young, Hammon lead Silver Stars past Shock

Posted Aug 06 2011 11:30PM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Sophia Young's aggressive play helped the San Antonio Silver Stars end their three-game skid while sending the Tulsa Shock to a franchise-record 14th straight loss.

Young scored 20 points, Becky Hammon added 17 and the Silver Stars beat the Shock 72-64 Saturday night. Scholanda Robinson scored 12 points to help the Silver Stars (12-8) pull even with Seattle for second place in the Western Conference.

``I'm trying to be more aggressive inside,'' said Young, who attempted a game-high 17 shots. ``Coach (Dan Hughes) has been getting on me to take more shots, so that's what I'm trying to do.''

Tiffany Jackson had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Shock (1-19), who eclipsed the team mark set in 2002 when they were in Detroit. Kayla Pederson added 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting, and Liz Cambage had nine points, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

Tulsa lost to San Antonio for the third time this season. The Silver Stars won the first meeting by 20 points and the second by 29.

The Shock committed 26 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the Silver Stars, but stayed close throughout.

Pedersen's 3-pointer from the left corner with 45.7 seconds left cut San Antonio's lead to six points, but Jayne Appel's offensive rebound with 20.6 seconds left, followed by Hammon's two free throws, sealed the win.

``It definitely was a sloppy win for us,'' Appel said. ``We definitely wanted to play a little bit better, but in the end it was still a win.''

Despite the latest loss, Shock coach Teresa Edwards was impressed by her team's effort.

``That's one of the most positive games we've put together,'' Edwards said. ``We still had a lot of turnovers. We're trying to eliminate that, but our execution, the players believing and trusting in one another to execute, was the best game we've had so far.''

Tulsa had 18 turnovers in the first half - matching its average coming in for an entire game - but trailed only 28-21 at halftime. That's because the Silver Stars shot only 35.5 percent from the field and committed 10 turnovers themselves.

The teams met in the 2008 WNBA Finals, when the Shock were still in Detroit. Since moving to Tulsa before last season, though, the Shock have lost six of seven against the Silver Stars - and 47 of 53 overall.

``We're getting there,'' Edwards said. ``Just have to hope we can coat tail off this and move it into the next game, not go backwards.''

• Shock: --
• Silver Stars: --

• Shock: --
• Silver Stars: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #39 Michael Price, #27 Penny Davis, #35 Billy Smith
• Attendance: 8273
• Duration: 1:55