AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? Detroit Shock head coach Bill Laimbeer promised before the season that his squad would combine a big frontcourt with a run-and-gun style.

On Thursday, his team proved him right.

Swin Cash scored 23 points and Deanna Nolan added 17 Thursday, helping the Shock beat Connecticut, 103-89.

“I think you saw today what this team is about,” Laimbeer said. “We are strong in the post, and we can run up and down the court. We came into this game thinking we could outrun Connecticut, and we proved that.”

Detroit’s point total was the second-highest in team history, trailing a league-record 111 points against Indiana June 18, 2000. The Shock outrebounded the Sun 45-24 and had as many offensive rebounds (14) as Connecticut had on the defensive end.

“It all starts with rebounding for us,” said Cash, who played just 27 minutes. “People look at our size and think we are going to be a half-court team, but we have big players who can get up and down the floor. We are still fine-tuning things, but this is what we are going to be like.”

The Shock are now 1-1 after last year’s 0-13 start and became the first WNBA team this season to score 100 points in a game.

“They played well and we didn’t,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “They outworked us, they outrebounded us and they basically outplayed us in every facet of the game.”

Shannon Johnson led Connecticut with 24 points, but only scored one basket in the second half. Nykesha Sales had 20 for the Sun while Adrienne Johnson added 14.

Connecticut Sun guard Debbie Black, right, fights for a loose ball with Detroit Shock guard Deanna Nolan. The Shock won, 103-89, Thursday in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Ruth Riley had 14 points for Detroit while rookie Cheryl Ford added 10 points and 12 rebounds. Ford had six points and nine rebounds in the second half.

“She’s an aggressive player,” Laimbeer said of Ford, the daughter of NBA Karl Malone a one-time playing rival of Laimbeer. “I didn’t give her much of a chance in the first half, and everyone was playing so well that she didn’t (have) many chances on the offensive end, but she played defense and rebounded.”

Silver Stars 70, Mercury 55

San Antonio — Marie Ferdinand scored 22 points, helping San Antonio rally and end a four-game losing streak.

Adrienne Goodson scored 13 points and Margo Dydek added 12 for San Antonio (2-4). Adrian Williams scored a career-high 18 points to lead Phoenix (1-5), while Anna DeForge added 10. Phoenix has lost three straight.

San Antonio trailed 37-26 at halftime but opened the second half with a 28-8 run. Phoenix was outscored 44-18 in the second half and managed only five field goals in the final 20 minutes.

Sparks 63, Monarchs 61

Los Angeles — Kansas University product Tamecka Dixon scored 15 points, leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a victory against Sacramento. Lisa Leslie added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks, who improved to 5-0.

DeMya Walker scored 15 points for Sacramento, but she missed a layup with 11.6 seconds left that would have put Sacramento (2-3) ahead.