Rookie Cappie Pondexter led the Mercury with 18 points, but Phoenix lost 96-85 Saturday to the Connecticut Sun in a preseason WNBA game at US Airways Center.
After a slow start, the Mercury outscored the Sun 36-21 in the third quarter and gained a two-point lead, but they were unable maintain the advantage and the Sun dominated the fourth.
Pondexter, the No. 2 overall pick out of Rutgers, was 7-for-13 shooting while the rest of the Mercury were 24-for-70 from the field.
The Sun were led by Nykesha Sales, who had a gamehigh 30 points, and teammate Katie Douglas had 23 points and seven rebounds.
The Mercury had four players in double digits. Crystal Smith scored 13, Mandisa Stevenson had 11 points and Belinda Snell added 10.
The Sun also outrebounded the Mercury 49-23. The Sun had 35 turnovers while the Mercury only gave up the ball 19 times.
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