For at least one Monarch, the NBA three-point line isn't a reason to take a few steps in before shooting.

In the case of forward Nicole Powell, she can pretty much hit it from there, or anywhere else she deems within her range.

And Powell won't hear much complaining from her coach about where she decides to shoot. That's true even if that shot is from three steps beyond the NBA three-point line.

"She knows she's got the green light," Monarchs coach Jenny Boucek said. "And she's shown me she can make good decisions with that green light. And that's her range. That's not a bad shot for her."

Though Powell scored a season-low two points on 1-of-7 shooting (0 of 4 from three-point range) in Friday's 62-52 loss at San Antonio, the Monarchs will continue to give her the ball today at Detroit.

Powell led the Monarchs with 13.6 points per game last season. But the next three leading scorers from 2008 – Kara Lawson, Rebekkah Brunson and Ticha Penicheiro – have been slowed by injuries this season.

That's meant more offense for Powell, who leads the Monarchs at 14.7 points per game in 2009. If she keeps up the pace, Powell will establish a career high, topping last year's mark.

And if Powell can average at least 17 points this season, she'll be the first Monarch to do that since 1999, when Yolanda Griffith led the Monarchs at 18.8 points per game. Powell's average this season is almost seven points more than the next Monarch, DeMya Walker, and she is also leading Sacramento in rebounding at 5.4 per game.

Asked about her improved scoring, Powell smiles and shrugs her shoulders because she's not actively looking to score more.

"It's just been the nature of our team," Powell said. "It's happened naturally. It hasn't been a forced thing. We need to get points somehow. I'm just trying to do my best, really, to tell you the truth."

On a team that has been battling injuries all season, Powell arrived in Sacramento healthy and ready after a solid season in Turkey, helping Fenerbahçe in Istanbul win the Turkish league title.

As long as the Monarchs' top scorers are ailing, Boucek wants to see more of Powell on offense.

"Her versatility is probably her greatest strength, and she helps us in a lot of ways, even when she's not scoring," Boucek said. "Her presence on the court opens up things on the court because she's such a threat. To me, she's one of the best shooters in the world right now."

Expanding Powell's role will be a key to the Monarchs turning around a 1-6 start this season.

Powell has had the chance to show off more than her shooting. She played point guard as a star at Stanford and has no problem starting the fast break on her own.

Powell has been able to do that more because Penicheiro missed four games this season because of a sprained right thumb.

"It's just a little bit more freedom," Powell said. "That's how I played in college, and that's how I play overseas. I just get the ball and take it. And here, we give it to the point guard. That's how we play, but it's fun to do different things."

Powell also excelled posting up smaller players in college. Powell, however, has spent the last five seasons in Sacramento primarily shooting from the perimeter and playing off the inside skills of post players.

The six-year veteran, however, hasn't forgotten how to play in the post.

"I love to post up," Powell said with a smile. "I hope to do more. We'll see. I just do what they tell me to do."