Liberty wins fifth in a row, tied for third in East

There's no denying that the Liberty is in the sort of groove that shapes postseason contenders. And there's no doubt that there is something here other than a flashy name in Cappie Pondexter and a solid, though not quite fulfilled, WNBA pedigree.

No denying it, because even when it seems as though things are falling apart - as they did in a frustrating first quarter against the Mystics Friday at Madison Square Garden - the team's answer is as swift as it is decisive.

Spurred largely by its supporting cast, the Liberty (16-11) beat the Mystics, 85-77, after making up a seven-point first- quarter deficit and outscoring Washington 24-7 in a positively dominant second quarter that produced a 40-26 halftime lead.

Pondexter had 23 points for the Liberty, which tied Washington (16-11) for third place in the Eastern Conference and is a game out of first behind Indiana (17-10) and Atlanta (18-11). The Liberty has won five in a row for the first time since June 2007.

The streak has lent legitimacy to a team that in July was meandering around the .500 mark and struggling for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Liberty missed the playoffs last year for only the third time in its 13-year history and has yet to win a WNBA championship.

"Once upon a time, it was all about what Cappie scored," coach Anne Donovan said. "I think we've found an identity.

"We came in this year with a bunch of personnel changes, and a lot of transition. But these people came in and worked. Not just to rely on Cappie or superstars or just outscore people . . . We're a good defensive team."

Taj McWilliams-Franklin's jumper from just inside the three-point line and subsequent layup with 5:08 left in the first half gave the Liberty a four-point lead - one it would never relinquish.

Leilani Mitchell (15 points, six assists) had nine points in the second quarter and McWilliams-Franklin added eight of her 12 points.

It was more of the same in the third, as the Liberty outscored the Mystics 17-14. They led by as many as 23 points with 7:31 left in the game. It's new territory for the Liberty, which had won its previous three home games by fewer than six points.

Monique Currie had 23 points and Matee Avajon 20 for the Mystics.

"It says a lot about our team," Mitchell said, "because each game we are learning from our mistakes. Before we would come back at the end or have one really good quarter. We're learning how to play 40 minutes."

"We've been surviving for quite a while," Donovan said. "We're climbing the ladder little by little and we're starting to get it together at the right time."