Powell's 20 lead Liberty over Atlanta

NEWARK -- Liberty coach John Whisenant admits his defensive philosophy can be "a little odd." Early in the season, his players might have chosen other adjectives to describe it. It has its intricacies.

But while it took the team a month to master it, in the last month they effectively have executed it, to the tune of six wins in the last seven games, the latest coming in a 91-69 blowout over Atlanta Wednesday.

"They're coming together," Whisenant said. "They've bought into it."

Only one of the Liberty's seven previous victories had been decided by more than 10 points. None came with the relative ease with which the Liberty defeated Atlanta in front of the 14,314 fans at a matinee that was decided quickly.

After trailing 5-4 early in the first quarter, the Liberty went on a 16-2 run and ended the period ahead 25-13. From there, the Liberty's relentless defense made Atlanta's afternoon miserable.

"It's frustrating for other teams," center Kia Vaughn said. "That helps us -- when we see them get frustrated, we get more excited."

Nicole Powell had 20 points, shooting 5-for-5 from three-point range for the Liberty, which had six players score in double figures. The Dream shot 40.6 percent from the field -- the third straight game the Liberty has held an opponent to less than 45 percent shooting.

"We took their inside presence totally away," guard Cappie Pondexter said. "We forced their guards to score and beat us on the inside."

Beating Atlanta, which came into the game having taken two of three from the Liberty, stood as a valid measuring stick of the team's progress this month.

"They've had our number the last few times we've played," Powell said. "We're better than we were in previous games."

Whisenant said he likes the offense to work almost wholly off the extra effort put out on the defensive end, which features a dizzying amount of traps, switches and energy.

"His defense is by far the most difficult to understand and get than any coach that I've played for," Pondexter said. "It takes a lot of energy and effort, that's for sure."