Intent on revenge after they were hammered 101-72 in Canberra early this month, Rangers stars Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter and Kathleen MacLeod were superb as Dandenong inflicted a 49-point turnaround.

The fifth-placed Capitals have now slumped to 3-5 and are in danger of losing contact with fourth-placed West Coast (3-3) heading into the midway point of the season.

Big games from front court duo Stephanie Talbot (20 points, nine rebounds, three assists) and Abby Bishop (19 points, six rebounds, four assists), plus point guard Kristin Veal (14 points, four assists, six rebounds), could not stop the rot.

Once again too much was left to too few for the Capitals. Bishop has shouldered a massive workload all season and looked tired down the stretch, and played with four fouls for most of the second half.

Canberra has been plagued by injury and illness this campaign and is still waiting for superstar centre Lauren Jackson to play her first game after she suffered a recent setback in her return from knee surgery.

The Rangers led by as many as 16 early in the second quarter with Australian Opals star Taylor scoring 12 of her points in the first half.

But led by 20 combined first-half points from Bishop and Talbot, the Capitals closed to 46-39 at half-time.

Former WNBA All-Star Pondexter (25 points) scored 12 third quarter points to blow the game open and give the hosts a decisive 14-point lead at the final break.

The Rangers pushed the ball at every opportunity and the Capitals were powerless to stop the barrage, masterminded by a superb display from point guard MacLeod (16 points, six assists, four rebounds).

Canberra plays struggling Adelaide at Albury's Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Saturday night, which is shaping as make or break for the seven-time champions' play-off hopes.

DANDENONG RANGERS 92 (Cappie Pondexter 25, Penny Taylor 20, Kathlee MacLeod 16) bt CANBERRA CAPITALS 72 (Stephanie Talbot 20, Abby Bishop 19, Kristin Veal 14) at Dandenong Stadium on Saturday night.