Breaking Down Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins in First WNBA Showdown

The WNBA rookie class of 2013 has a handful of games under its belt, and phenom Brittney Griner and star Skylar Diggins went head-to-head on Sunday in Tulsa, Okla. The Phoenix Mercury and the Tulsa Shock played a nail-biter with the Mercury winning 108-103 in overtime. 

So, how did each of the star rookies do in their first meeting?

Griner had a fairly quiet afternoon. The No. 1 pick didn't play much through three quarters, but she played big once she entered in the fourth quarter.

Diggins saw more action and made more of an impact, especially early in the game. The No. 3 pick has struggled shooting the ball and limiting turnovers, but she improved on Sunday.

The Mercury and the Shock have other players, and they were on display as well. The rookies didn't take over in the first half, so it was up to their teammates to fill the scoreboard.

Griner's team held an eight-point lead after one quarter, but the Shock rallied in the second quarter to cut it to a two-point deficit at the half. The two teams were even in the third as they entered the fourth in a two-point contest.

With help from Diggins, the Shock rallied late in the fourth quarter to force overtime. The Mercury eventually won, but it wasn't easy.

Here's a quick look at how these two rookies fared in this matchup:

Player	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Brittney Griner (PHX)	23	6-10	0-0	4-4	5	0	0	5	1	16
Skylar Diggins (TUL)	34	7-15	1-3	7-7	2	8	3	0	1	22

Brittney Griner

It's tough for Griner to make much of an impact if she isn't on the court. She played less than 10 minutes in the first half, and she finished well below the 27 minutes per game she averaged entering the contest.     

Coming into the league, Griner was supposed to dominate with her length. She came into the game averaging 6.5 rebounds. However, she managed only four boards through regulation. 

Griner didn't take many shots through three quarters, as she was only 3-of-5 at one point in the third.

The center needed to be on the court more to help her team. She was on the floor for only 12 of the 30 minutes through three quarters, which is part of the reason her team only had a two-point lead.

When she entered in the fourth, she finally started to make an impact. She had six points and blocked three shots in the quarter, which made her more productive than she had been up to that point.

Griner showed how good she can be when she's on the court. She came through when her team needed her in the final quarter, but Griner needs to be able to make an impact for a full four quarters.

What's Next: On Wednesday, the Mercury will host Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx are currently in first place. 

Skylar Diggins

Diggins outshined her rookie counterpart for most of this one, but she couldn't lead her team to a victory.

She played an overall clean game and made an impact throughout.

Shooting had been an issue for Diggins entering this matchup. She entered the game shooting 27 percent from the floor, but that was not an issue today. She went 7-of-15 from the field, including 1-of-3 from three-point range.

Her 22 points were a career high, and she came through in the clutch. With just over two minutes left in regulation, Diggins led her team to a comeback. She had two of the team's final five field goals and assisted on two others.

In overtime, she was able to add four points, but she didn't have an assist. 

The guard did a little bit of everything. She was helping her teammates get shots and she was scoring. Although she was making plays on the offensive side, the Shock couldn't come through.

On the defensive side, she was productive on the glass and created turnovers. She had two boards and three steals, which was good enough to compete with Griner.

Diggins bounced back after the worst game of her young career, and she put together her best all-around game of the season. This was her breakout game in the WNBA, so now she will be expected to make a huge impact like this every night.

What's Next: On Thursday, the Shock will host Elena Delle Donne and the Chicago Sky. It will be a matchup of the Nos. 2 and 3 picks.

*All stats are courtesy of WNBA.com