ATLANTA (AP) The New York Liberty's awful performance in their last game embarrassed Cappie Pondexter.

She was determined not to let it happen again.

''I brought a great deal of energy tonight, which has been inconsistent with us,'' Pondexter said. ''I feel like when we play with a lot of energy it allows us to play both ends of the floor the way we really want to.''

Pondexter had 14 points and a season-high 13 assists and Essence Carson added 14 points in the New York Liberty's 73-60 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night.

The Dream dropped their second straight game with Angel McCoughtry, the WNBA's leading scorer and shot blocker, injured and unable to play.

Sancho Lyttle and Lindsey Harding each finished with 13 points for Atlanta (4-7). Lyttle pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

New York (4-7) had plenty of incentive after last Friday's debacle at Connecticut, a 42-point loss that was the worst in team history and included 34-point halftime deficit that was the largest in league history.

The Liberty, who snapped a two-game skid, never trailed after Leilani Mitchell pulled up for a 15-foot fast-break jumper to make it 13-12 late in the first.

''We were so hungry for a win,'' Mitchell said. ''We were just playing harder. We were taking it easy in the last couple of practices trying to save our legs for this game.''

New York went up 36-30 on Pondexter's 19-foot fadeaway in transition in the final minute of the second period.

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Pondexter, Carson lead Liberty past Atlanta 73-60