A Look At Sun-Liberty

Eastern Conference Semifinals

New York (15-19) vs. Connecticut (25-9)

Game 1: Thursday at Connecticut, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Game 2: Saturday at New York (The Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.), 7 p.m., NBATV

Game 3 (if necessary): Monday at Connecticut, 7 p.m., NBATV

Season series: Connecticut, 4-1

About the Liberty:

Guard Cappie Pondexter, a former WNBA All-Star and USA Basketball standout, leads the team in scoring (20.4) and minutes (34.2). She was also selected as the league’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month in September. … The Liberty feature three players from Rutgers – Pondexter, Essence Carson and Kia Vaughn – who staged epic Big East and NCAA Tournament battles with UConn … The Liberty have played home games at The Prudential Center since 2011 because of summer renovations to Madison Square Garden, its home since 1997. New York is also scheduled to play its 2013 home schedule in New Jersey. … The Liberty’s Plenette Pierson, Pondexter, DeMya Walker, Nicole Powell and Kara Braxton who have won numerous WNBA Championships in Phoenix, Detroit and Sacramento. Liberty coach John Whisenant coached the 2005 champion Sacramento Monarchs, who defeated the Sun in the finals and featured current Sun guard Kara Lawson. Lawson is the only Sun player with a championship ring … The Liberty have played in four WNBA Finals, none since 2002. They have never won. The Sun haven’t been to the Finals since 2005 and also haven’t won.