Champagne was flowing after the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Detroit Shock, 108-92, in the final game of a 5-game championship series last night, reports the Arizona Republic. Cappie Pondexter, the series MVP, had 20 points in the second half, and teammate Penny Taylor led the scoring with 30 points in an offensive showdown.
The Mercury combined for 73% scoring in the first quarter, coming off of a lackluster performance in the first four games that Diana Taurasi described as "crud." Phoenix is the first WNBA team to win the championship game on the road, and may prove a salve to owner Robert Sarver, whose Phoenix Suns fell in last spring's NBA Western Conference semifinals. (More WNBA stories.)