Charles scores 23 to lead Sun past Liberty

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- Tina Charles was determined to make up for a poor offensive performance against the New York Liberty in the last matchup. She only had to wait two days to get another chance at them.

Charles had 23 points and nine rebounds while playing nearly 38 minutes, and the Connecticut Sun beat the Liberty 85-74 on Saturday night.

The third-year center, who scored a season-low four points in the Sun's 79-66 loss at New York on Thursday night in the teams' first game after the monthlong Olympic break, played the entire first half.

''I have never not taken her out in the first half,'' Sun coach Mike Thibault said. ''I talked to her and said, 'You let me know when you need a sub tonight.' She said, 'Coach, I'm staying out there.' So, 'Yes, ma'am.' I might not say that to some other people, but I know when she is feeling that way. She had that look in her eye. I know she didn't like the other night in New Jersey and she wanted to make up for it.''

Kara Lawson had 21 points and Allison Hightower added a career-high 20 for the Eastern Conference-leading Sun (16-5). Mistie Mims, playing in place of the injured Asjha Jones (strained left Achilles tendon), added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.

''We had some people step up pretty big-time tonight and make shots - between Tina in the first half and Kara and Allie throughout the game, and Mistie was everywhere on the boards,'' Thibault said.

Charles also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 rebounds, accomplishing it in her 89th game - three fewer than Yolanda Griffith's previous mark.

Cappie Pondexter had 17 points and five assists for the Liberty (7-13). Essence Carson also scored 17 and Plenette Pierson added 14 points and eight rebounds.

Connecticut capitalized on 26 New York turnovers, scoring 28 points off the miscues.

''We went from six turnovers the other night to 26 tonight,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ''We have to keep our turnovers under 15 to compete with a team like that. ... We got them the other night and they made a lot of turnovers. We made eight turnovers in the first quarter (tonight) and that just digs you a big hole.''

Read the original post:
Charles scores 23 to lead Sun past Liberty