SACRAMENTO – A trio of former Auburn women’s basketball players squared off Wednesday afternoon in WNBA preseason action with the Phoenix Mercury downing the Sacramento Monarchs, 74-70.
DeWanna Bonner, the 2009 SEC Player of the Year and first-round draft pick of the Mercury, logged 19 minutes of action while picking up 10 points and a team-high six rebounds. Bonner also tallied two steals while making her WNBA preseason debut.
“Today’s game was definitely a different level from college,” said Bonner. “I am glad that I got this game out of the way so I know what to expect now. I had fun. My team had fun and we came out with a win. Everything went great.”
When asked what was so different about the college game, Bonner point to the speed and physicality of the WNBA.
“Definitely the speed, the pace, and the physical ability; you definitely have to work hard for every point you get,” said Bonner. “We did a great job executing, but we have a lot of work to do. We are definitely going to go back home and improve. It was definitely physical out there.”
Playing alongside Bonner was former Auburn forward Le’Coe Willingham (1999-2004). Willingham started the game for the Mercury and tallied two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes of play. She also picked up a block and an assist.
Bonner also saw a familiar face on the other side of the court as her former teammate Whitney Boddie logged 21 minutes for the Monarchs. Boddie, Sacramento’s second-round draft pick, picked up a game-high four steals while also posting four points, a rebound and an assist.
The exhibition game was the second and last for Boddie, whose Monarchs open the 2009 regular season on Saturday, June 6 at Seattle.
The game was the first of two exhibition games for Bonner and Willingham as the Mercury host Seattle on Saturday in their final preseason game. Phoenix will open the regular season on June 6 at home against San Antonio.
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