How One Mercury Preseason Prepared Them For Success

The Phoenix Mercury finished the 2004 season with a record of 17-17. While they did not make the playoffs, they were headed in the right direction. The Mercury drafted Diana Taurasi before the start of that season, and she went on to win Rookie of the Year. After a solid season, the Mercury were looking to inch closer to the playoffs. They played well in the 2005 season, and they finished the year with a record of 16-18. The Mercury played three preseason games, and they were on the road for two of them. Their first game was against the Indiana Fever, and Indiana won in a blowout. The Fever beat them 84-59. Taurasi was in action for that game, and she led the team in scoring. She had 12 points, and she also had four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. The Mercury had two more players who scored at least 10 points, as Belinda Snell and Plenette Pierson both had 11. Snell had two rebounds and two assists, and Pierson had seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Phoenix had a road game against th