Phoenix shoots down Minnesota

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Mercury got close the first time. The second time proved to be the charm and it knocked the Minnesota Lynx into a more precarious postseason position.

Anna DeForge scored 15 points, 13 in the second half, on Wednesday night to lead Phoenix to a 56-49 victory over Minnesota.

Phoenix (6-20) lost 61-56 at Minnesota on Monday.

"We played them tough at their place and it came down to the stretch," said DeForge. "It was the same thing tonight. Neither team shot a very high percentage, but we got to the free throw line and we took care of the ball better than they did."

Phoenix was 17 of 24 from the foul line to Minnesota's 6 of 9.

Minnesota (15-12) missed its two field goal attempts and two free throws after getting within 51-49 with 1:59 remaining.

Coupled with Seattle's 92-56 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday, the Lynx fell into fourth place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of Sacramento. The top four teams in each conference make the WNBA's playoffs. Minnesota travels to Seattle on Friday.

Adrian Williams added 14 points and seven rebounds for Phoenix, which came in having lost nine of its last 11 games.

"We are looking at this as an opportunity to say, 'Let's start the season over again,"' said Williams. "We're a different team than the one we started the season with."

The Lynx turned the ball over 20 times on Wednesday, allowing Phoenix to score 21 points off those mistakes.

The second-best shooting team in the league, at 44.9 percent, was 19-of-53 from the field (36 percent) on Wednesday.

"They play tough defense and make you earn everything," said Katie Smith.