Friday, August 11, 2006

Diana Taurasi Scores 47 Points, Sets WNBA Record

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Diana Taurasi starred for the University of Connecticut  Womens Basketball Team, and led UConn to three consecutive National Championship. Diane was named NCAA Finals MOP for second consecutive season Won the 2004 Naismith Player of the Year Award as the best female player in the nation, for the second consecutive season [only three other players have won Naisimith Award in back-to-back seasons: Cheryl Miller (1984-86), Dawn Staley (1991-92) and Chamique Holdsclaw (1998-99)] Named to the first womens Wooden Award All-American team2003-04 Big East Player of the Year 2004 AP All-American First player in UConn history ( a perennial powerhouse) to finish career with 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 reboundsfinished collegiate career shooting .493 (318-645) from three-point range

 

In 2004, Taurasi was No. 1 pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft  and unfortunately was selected by the Phoenix Mercury that was in a small market, and a limited amount of talent, and therefore despite her outstanding performances, the Mercury has had only modest success Led Mercury in scoring with 17.0 ppgAveraged 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 33.2 minutes Led all rookies in scoring, three-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, minutes and was second in rebounds and assists  Named 2004 WNBA Rookie of the Year Named to the All-WNBA First Team.

Taurasi now holds the WNBA Record at 47 points, and the 5th highest with 41 points.

 

 

Taurasi Sets Points Mark

Mercury guard scores 47, a WNBA record, in Phoenix's 111-110 triple OT win over Houston.

 

Los Angeles Times

From the Associated Press

August 11, 2006

 

HOUSTON  Diana Taurasi scored a WNBA record 47 points Thursday night to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 111-110 triple-overtime win over the Houston Comets in the highest-scoring game in league history.

Taurasi broke Katie Smith's record of 46 points that she set in 2001 against the Sparks while playing for Minnesota. Taurasi wasn't around for the end as she fouled out with 2:45 left in the second overtime, just 35 seconds after she broke the mark.

 

Penny Taylor added 19 points for the Mercury, which needs to win its remaining two games  and hope the Comets lose at home to Seattle on Saturday  to qualify for the postseason.

Tina Thompson, in her first game back after missing 13 games because of a strained right calf, scored a career-high 37 points for the Comets, who could have clinched a playoff berth with a win.

Thompson also added a career-high 16 rebounds and was just two assists shy of a triple-double.

Sheryl Swoopes scored a season-high 30 points for the Comets, who have lost four of five overall.

Taurasi made a long three-pointer to g! ive the Mercury a 102-99 lead before getting called for a charge against Thompson.

Houston, which trailed by as many as 11 points, took a 110-107 lead when Thompson made her final shot of the night with 1:38 left in the third overtime. But the Mercury answered quickly with four points before taking over on defense.

The Comets had one last chance, but Dawn Staley's shot at the buzzer was blocked by Jennifer Derevjanik.

*

40-Point Games in the WNBA:

Pts

Player, Team

Year

Opp.

47

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix

2006

Hou.

46

Katie Smith, Minnesota

2001

Sparks

44

Cynthia Cooper, Houston

1997

Sac.

42

Cynthia Cooper, Houston

1999

Utah

41

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix

2006

Hou.

41

Lisa Leslie, Sparks

2006

S.A.

40

Katie Smith, Minnesota

2001

Det.

*
Source: WNBA

 

 

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