Out of playoff contention and down to nine players in uniform, the Tulsa Shock wasn't about to quit.
Not by a long shot, and the Shock made plenty of those Sunday afternoon.
Candice Wiggins matched a career high with six 3-pointers, all in the first half, and Courtney Paris delivered a key basket and free throw down the stretch as the Shock outlasted the New York Liberty 93-88 before 5,818 at the BOK Center.
Tulsa (10-20) was 11-for-23 from 3-point range and overcame a five-point play on Glory Johnson's flagrant foul in the final minute.
The Shock won a close game for the first time, after losing eight games decided in the final seconds of regulation or overtime.
"We have not been able to finish in crunch time, so to get one like this, it could be a sign of maturity for a young team learning how to win," coach Gary Kloppenburg said.
Tulsa played without center Liz Cambage and rookie point guard Angel Goodrich for the second game in a row.
But Wiggins scored a career-high 25 points and Riquna Williams added 22 to pace five Shock players in double figures.
The Shock reached 10 wins for the first time since moving to Tulsa four years ago, and dealt a blow to the Liberty's postseason hopes.
New York (11-19) fell three games behind the Indiana Fever for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
Wiggins' 3-pointers matched the six she had against the Shock while playing for the Minnesota Lynx at the BOK Center last year.
"I was feeling good and the game was coming to me, and I was looking for my shot more," she said. "I have to take more shots and be confident."
She had 20 points by halftime, pacing the Shock to a 52-48 lead. Tulsa led by 13 on Jennifer Lacy's 3-pointer with 9:20 left, but New York rallied to tie, scoring five points after Johnson's flagrant foul with 43.1 seconds left.
Johnson rebounded a teammate's miss and New York's DeLisah Milton-Jones, who was close to Johnson, went down as Johnson raised the ball over her head and passed it to Wiggins. Johnson admitted making contact with Milton-Jones "with both forearms." but insisted she "didn't throw an elbow."
Milton-Jones made both free throws and Cappie Pondexter's 3-pointer tied the game with 35.3 seconds left. It put Pondexter over 5,000 career points in her eighth WNBA season.
But Tulsa survived. Williams drove the lane and assisted on a layup by Paris, who was fouled by Kara Braxton. Paris' free throw made it 89-86 with 28.7 seconds left.
Pondexter hit a layup, but Williams answered with two free throws.
Mike Brown 918-581-8390
mike.brown@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Shock shoots down Liberty
Pro W Basketball (WNBA)
9 p.m. Saturday
Basketball Australia manager Tamara Sheppard was in town to meet with Shock officials Thursday and discuss the responsibilities of Australian national players in international competition the next three years.
