The two teams who competed for last year's WNBA title had their first rematch of the 2008 season and the Shock came out on top.

Leading the way, perhaps surprising to some, were rookies Tasha Humphrey and Alexis Hornbuckle. Humphrey came in averaging about three points a game and started only her second game of the season. But she definitely made the most of her opportunity and minutes, scoring 28 points in under 26 minutes of action. Hornbuckle grabbed the most rebounds by a guard in team history.

“Our rookies really played great tonight,” Bill Laimbeer said. “We knew about Hornbuckle and we know that she is really a solid player. Humphrey just got her opportunity recently and she has been working really hard for this. We know she can score we just never knew she could score like this.”

The rookies received help from veterans Katie Smith and Deanna Nolan and outplayed the high scoring Mercury duo of Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter. Taurasi and Pondexter combined to go 6-37 from the floor, but their team did make a second half run to pull within five. Detroit answered with back to back three pointers.

Corey Gaines was not as concerned about the shooting woes of his team as much as the hustle and desire. “The shots aren’t it because we’ve won games shooting bad,” he said. “They got loose balls at key situations.”