NEW YORK -- Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello hasnt always loved the WNBAs new knockout playoff format. But its safe to say she has come around on it.The Mercury, inconsistent for much of the regular season, beat New York 101-94 in an elimination game Saturday to advance to the WNBA semifinals against Minnesota.?That isnt bad for a team that finished the regular season two games below .500.I was a little critical of the knockout games, but I kind of like it right now, Brondello said.Veteran Diana Taurasi led the way for Phoenix, just as she did Wednesday in the Mercurys first-round, elimination-game win over Indiana.Taurasi had a game-high 30 points on 9-for-17 shooting to lift Phoenix. But it wasnt just the point total; it was when Taurasi scored that mattered most Saturday.With Phoenix up two and 6:40 to play, Taurasi scored five straight points to spur an 8-2 run. Five minutes later, the Mercury led by just four. But Taurasi put the game away by hitting a contested 3-pointer.That prompted this statement from Brondello: Diana Taurasi, shes the GOAT [greatest of all time]. Its always great to have her on your team.Is it ever. Saturday was just the latest example of Taurasi lifting her team in an elimination game.She scored 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second half of the Mercurys win over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. That gave her a 12-3 career record in WNBA elimination games. Saturday was win No. 13.I just think its the mindset that the teams Ive been on have had, Taurasi said. These moments, weve never shied away from.Taurasi, understandably, doesnt want to talk about her own exploits. But her performance in win-or-go-home scenarios has been remarkable. According to WNBA.com, Taurasi averages 23 points on better than 48 percent shooting in such situations. If you include her Olympic and NCAA career, Taurasi has a 43-3 record in elimination games.Thats why I say shes the best player in the world, Brondelo said. Shes such an unselfish player, but her determination to win in those big moments exceeds anyone else Ive ever seen.Taurasi didnt do it all by herself on Saturday, of course. Brittney Griner was fantastic, scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds and five assists, and Penny Taylor added 22 points. It was the kind of game that many expected from Phoenix over the course of the season.But the Mercury struggled with consistency and clinched the eighth and final WNBA playoff seed with a disappointing 16-18 regular-season record.We had some good individual performances, Brondello said, but we were just inconsistent in putting it together for one night.The Mercury have now put it together for two nights when it mattered most. But for the Liberty, it was a sudden end to another successful regular season.New York finished with the third-best record in the WNBA, but thanks to the leagues new playoff format, which awards the top two seeds byes into the best-of-five semifinals, the Liberty played in an elimination game rather than a full series.They worked all year long to give themselves an opportunity, and tonight it just didnt get done, Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said.Tina Charles finished with 19 points and nine rebounds on Saturday, looking every bit the MVP candidate who carried New York for most of the season. But the Liberty failed to execute late in the fourth quarter, and Taurasi seemed to thrive.Diana was Diana, Charles said.On Saturday, that meant Taurasi was at her best when her team needed her most. Those who have watched her long enough shouldnt be surprised. Colin Dagba Paris Saint-Germain Jersey . 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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Jaylen Johnson and Donovan Mitchell had seen enough. Louisville trailed Evansville midway through the first half of their season opener Friday night and the 13th-ranked Cardinals needed a kick start.Mitchell and Johnson got the Cardinals going with a 23-1 run to end the first half and the Cardinals rolled to an easy 78-47 victory.We showed tonight were not backing down, said Mitchell who had 15 points, five rebounds and four steals. We dont care who you are or who you have on your team. We were playing soft and they got some loose balls. We are not that type of team (soft).Johnson had 17 points and 14 rebounds.We had a little bit of a problem with the communications on our switches (defensively), said Johnson, who had his first double-double. Coach (Rick Pitino) told us to buckle down. `Wake up.The Cardinals had little trouble after the first 11 minutes of the game.Mangok Mathiang added 11 points and eight rebounds as the Cardinals played 14 players with 10 scoring. The Cardinals stared slow but got rolling late in the first half, holding the Purple Aces without a field goal over the last 9:05 of the half to take a 43-27 halftime lead.Senior Jaylon Brown led the Aces with 19 points but made only 5 of 13 shots from the field against the Cardinals mostly man-to-man defense. Evansville made just 16 of 57 field goals attempts.Louisville coach Rick Pitino wanted the Cardinals to play fast and they did, especially late in the first half. The Cardinals trailed 26-20 with 9:05 but went on a 23-1 run.Louisville outrebounded the smaller Purple Aces 52-29 and had 10 blocked shots. The Cardinals shot 48 percent from the field but made just three of 15 3-point attempts.The Cardinals forced Evansville into 13 turnovers and 28 percent shooting (16 of 57) for the game.Well, I think we had the jitters a little bit early in the game, which is normal for an opening game with an inexperienced team, Pitino said. Really, we played great defense, but we didnt get the loose balls on the ground after playing great defense.dddddddddddd So this was a great beginning.The Purple Aces finished the first half missing their final 14 field goal attempts with six turnovers. Evansville was giving the Cardinals fits leading 26-20 with 9:05 after Brown hit two 3-pointers.Johnson, who made just two of 10 3-point attempts last season, pulled up from the right side and swished his first attempt of 2016.The first part of the game we were able to do some decent things, Purple Aces coach Marty Simmons said. Were pretty disappointed to be outscored 58-21 in the last 30 minutes.The win was the Cardinals 100th (100-14) at the KFC Yum! Center in just their sixth season there.BIG PICTUREEvansville: The Purple Aces had to replace several key players from a team that went 25-9 last season.Louisville: Pitino hyped this opener as the first of several big non-conference tests for his team. The Cardinals host Long Beach State next Thursday and face LSU or Wichita State in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas before hosting Purdue in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 30.CLOSE FRIENDSLouisville and Evansville are separated by only about 120 miles and hadnt played since 1957. The win by the Cardinals ties the series 13-13.PRESIDENTIAL THOUGHTSPitino was asked about this week election of Donald Trump as president and he had plenty to say.I said it the other night. Hes our elected president and you can protest all you want, but he is not resigning, Pitino said. Look, Ive got problems with him just like everybody does. Everyone in this room has problems with him and I think the only way to remedy a problem is to find a solution.UP NEXTEvansville: The Purple Aces host Alcorn State on Monday night.Louisville: Hosts William & Mary on Monday night in the third meeting between the schools and first since 1952. The Cardinals lead 2-0 but face a team that went 20-11 last season. ' ' '