Sparks 72, Monarchs 66, OT

Sparks 72, Monarchs 66, OT
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Mwadi Mabika scored 19 points and DeLisha Milton had 17 as the Los Angeles Sparks rallied to defeat the Sacramento Monarchs.
Mabika hit two 3-pointers in overtime and DeLisha Milton made two shots from close range as the Sparks took a 67-59 lead with 2:34 left.
Tamecka Dixon helped bring the Sparks back late in regulation. She made consecutive 3-pointers to conclude a 9-0 run, which tied the game at 57 with 31.8 seconds remaining. She missed a jumper with two seconds left that would have won the game.
Dixon finished with 15 points for Los Angeles (7-1), which beat Sacramento for the sixth straight time during the regular season. Lisa Leslie, who fouled out in overtime, had 13 points and 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Ruthie Bolton scored 17 points, Kedra Holland-Corn had 12 points and Ticha Penicheiro had 11 points and 10 assists for Sacramento (1-5), which went scoreless in the final 3:08 of regulation. Tangela Smith added nine points.
Sacramento appeared to take control of the game midway through the second half, running off nine straight points. Bolton scored a fast-break layup to start the run and Smith ended it by banking in a shot from close range, putting the Monarchs ahead 44-35 with 8:38 left.
Sacramento played its fifth straight game without All-Star center Yolanda Griffith, who has a bulging disc in her neck and is expected to miss the next four weeks.
Sol 69, Miracle 65
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sheri Sam and Betty Lennox combined for 32 points as Miami outlasted Orlando.
The win was the second straight for Miami after starting the season with five straight losses. Orlando lost for the second straight game.
Shannon Johnson had a chance to tie the game for the Miracle (3-3) when she went to the line for three free throws with 10.8 seconds to play and Orlando trailing 67-64.
Johnson missed the first two free throws before making the last one. She finished the game with 15 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Sam had 17 points, Lennox had 15 and Pollyanna Johns-Kimbrough added 13 points for the Sol (2-5). Katie Douglas had 10 points for Orlando.
After falling behind 52-40 with 9:38 to play, Orlando went on a 13-4 run to pull within three, 56-53, with 4:11 to play. Miami outscored the Miracle 8-2 at the start of the second half to take a 37-29 lead with 17:31 to play.
Earlier Saturday, the Sol activated center Ruth Riley from the injured list. Riley broke the pinky finger on her right hand May 26 and had not played a game for the Sol this season. The second year pro from Notre Dame played in a splint and shot lefthanded throughout the game, including free throws.
Miami took advantage of nine Orlando turnovers in the first half to take a 29-27 lead at the half.
Comets 51, Lynx 50
HOUSTON -- Houston kept alive its perfect record against Minnesota, using a 17-2 first-half run.
The Comets trailed through most of the first half and had to survive a last second missed layup by the Lynx's Lynn Pride.
Houston is 11-0 against Minnesota since they joined the league for the 1999 season.
The Lynx (4-4) scored the game's first 10 points before the Comets finally got a basket from Tina Thompson, who converted a pass on a fastbreak from Sheryl Swoopes at the 4:53 mark.
Minnesota extended its lead to 23-10 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Svetlana Abrosimova and Kristi Harrower.
Houston (6-3) finally got its offense going behind Kelley Gibson's 3-point shooting and the 17-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 27-25. Katie Smith's 3-pointer put Minnesota back ahead 28-27 at the half.
Swoopes hit two jumpers to open the second half and set up another Comets basket with a steal to put Houston on top 33-28.
The Lynx used an 8-0 run to regain the lead 50-48 on a steal and basket by Kamika Williams. Swoopes' 10-footer from the right side with 2:08 to play proved to be the winning basket, giving Houston a 51-50 lead.
Starzz 61, Storm 54
SALT LAKE CITY -- Margo Dydek had her third straight double-double for Utah. The 7-foot-2 Dydek dominated the inside against the smaller Storm (4-4) with 14 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. Starzz guard Jennifer Azzi kept rookie Sue Bird in check for the first half, holding her to two points. But Bird sparked a second-half rally, finishing with 19 points. The Starzz (5-3) held off the Storm with the help of Marie Ferdinand, who scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half to lead Utah. Ferdinand also had four assists and seven rebounds.