Uncasville, CT – Candace Parker scored an All-Star Game record 23 points, including 17 in the second half, and the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 102-98, on Saturday.
Parker, who was named the game's Most Valuable Player, shot 10-of-13 from the field and also grabbed 11 boards in the victory. Kristi Toliver scored 21 points off the bench while Rebekkah Brunson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the West.
The West won their first All-Star Game since 2009. The 2010 game was a match between Team USA against a team of WNBA All-Stars and no game was played in 2012, due to the Summer Olympics in London.
Epiphanny Prince and Ivory Latta scored 15 points apiece while Erika de Souza had 13 points and eight rebounds for the East.
The East led 81-74 entering the fourth quarter, but the West rallied back.
After Crystal Langhorne's jumper gave the East a 90-86 edge with 5:45 left, the West went on a 14-3 run to take a 100-93 lead with just under three minutes to play.
With 1:07 to go, Angel McCoughtry made a layup to bring the East within two, 100-98, but the team shot just two more times, both misses. Toliver's two free throws with 14 seconds left sealed the win for the West.
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