Sunday, Jun. 29, 2008

Lawson helps Monarchs hang on

SACRAMENTO -- Kara Lawson scored 21 points, including two key baskets in the fourth quarter, to help the Sacramento Monarchs beat the New York Liberty 82-78 on Saturday night at Arco Arena.

Nicole Powell had 17 points and five rebounds, and Rebekkah Brunson had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Monarchs (7-8), who stopped a two-game losing streak.

The Monarchs took a 10-3 advantage until the Liberty (7-7) came back to take a 16-14 lead to end the first quarter.

There were six lead changes and two ties in the second period before New York finished the last 2:55 with an 8-0 run that put it up 38-30 at the half.

The Monarchs opened the third quarter with a 16-5 run and took a 46-43 lead on a basket by Lawson with 5:15 left. The Monarchs outscored New York 27-18 in the third period.

Two free throws by Ticha Penicheiro extended the Monarchs' lead to 67-58 with 7:23 left.

New York cut the deficit to 76-73 on a three-point play by Janel McCarville with 2:14 to go, but Lawson countered with a 3-point basket on the next play, and the guard from Tennessee hit another key shot with 50 seconds left to seal the victory.

SILVER STARS 73, LYNX 65, at San Antonio -- Sophia Young scored 20 points, Ann Wauters had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and San Antonio capitalized on Seimone Augustus' absence to beat Minnesota.

With Augustus missing a game for the first time as a pro after 82 starts in a row, the Silver Stars (9-6) broke a second-place tie with the Lynx (8-7) in the Western Conference. Augustus sprained her right big toe Thursday against Sacramento.

Nicky Anosike scored 16 points for Minnesota, which had won two in a row. Rookie guard Candice Wiggins missed her first eight shots and finished with 15 points. Wiggins and backcourt mate Anna DeForge combined to go 9 for 29.

COMETS 75, FEVER 61, at Houston -- Matee Ajavon scored a season-high 24 points to tie a team rookie record, and Houston (7-8) pulled away in the fourth quarter for its fourth win in a row.

Ajavon tied the Houston rookie record set by Tina Thompson against Cleveland on July 29, 1997, the WNBA's inaugural season.

Thompson missed her second game in a row because of a fractured left ring finger.

Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 13 points and Tamika Catchings 10 on 3-of-9 shooting for Indiana. The Fever (7-8) committed 26 turnovers, which Houston turned into 29 points.

SKY 76, SHOCK 59, at Chicago -- Candice Dupree scored 18 points, Jia Perkins and Dominique Canty each had 14, and Chicago beat Detroit to snap a five-game losing streak.

Chasity Melvin had 10 points and eight rebounds as the Sky (4-9) beat the Shock for the first time in Chicago. It was Chicago's first win since beating Atlanta 91-70 on June 7.

Shay Murphy scored 13 points and Alexis Hornbuckle 11 for the Shock (11-5), which dropped a game behind Connecticut for the Eastern Conference lead.

Detroit guard Katie Smith had three assists to move past Andrea Stinson (810) for 10th on the WNBA's career list but picked up back-to-back technical fouls and was ejected with 7:54 remaining after arguing a reach-in foul call.