Summary Cappie Pondexter scored 23 for the Liberty.
UNCASVILLE (AP) - Kara Lawson scored 23 points and Tina Charles added 19 points and 13 rebounds to help the Connecticut Sun beat the New York Liberty 81-69 on Saturday in the WNBA season opener for both teams.
The game marked the return of coaches Bill Laimbeer and Anne Donovan to the WNBA. Laimbeer was coaching his first game since 2009, when he left the Detroit Shock four games into the season to pursue opportunities in the NBA. Donovan spent the past three seasons coaching women s basketball at Seton Hall University after leaving the Liberty in 2010.
Donovan took over a talented Connecticut Sun squad that made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season before losing to Indiana. The Sun let longtime coach Mike Thibault go after the season.
Cappie Pondexter scored 23 for the Liberty.
In Atlanta, Tiffany Hayes scored 21 points and Sancho Lyttle added 18 points and 10 rebounds to help the Dream beat the Tulsa Shock 98-81.
Atlanta s Angel McCoughtry, the league s leading scorer last year, finished with 16 points.
Riquna Williams had 22 points to lead the Shock, who began the season hoping to shake off last year s 9-25 record. Skylar Diggins, the WNBA s third overall draft pick, added 15 points.
