WNBA Strong second half helps Lynx top Shock

Tamika Catchings blocked a shot in the final seconds to lift the Fever.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Rookie Vanessa Hayden scored 10 of her career-high 12 points in the second half Saturday night, leading the Minnesota Lynx to a 78-70 victory over the Detroit Shock.
Katie Smith led the Lynx with 27 points. Hayden sparked a second-half comeback by shooting 6-for-10, blocking three shots and taking a key charge with just under three minutes remaining and the Lynx holding a three-point lead.
Merlakia Jones led Detroit with 16 points in a reserve role. Swin Cash, Cheryl Ford and Deanna Nolan each finished with 13 points.
Fever 61, Mercury 60
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tamika Catchings had 19 points, 13 rebounds and a blocked shot in the final seconds to lead the Indiana Fever past the Phoenix Mercury.
The Fever (9-7) won without making a field goal in the final 9:06.
The game included 17 ties and seven lead changes. The final switch came when Catchings, who has made 18 consecutive free throws, hit a pair from the line with 36.6 seconds to play.
Phoenix got the ball to rookie Diana Taurasi to try the go-ahead basket, but the shot was blocked by Catchings with 11.9 seconds to go. The ball bounced out of bounds, but Phoenix maintained possession with 11.3 seconds to go.
Sting 62, Comets 55
HOUSTON -- Dawn Staley and Allison Feaster each scored 16 points to help the Charlotte Sting beat the Houston Comets.
Charlotte Smith-Taylor scored 12 points and added five rebounds for the Sting, who improved to 6-1 all-time in Houston.
The Comets have lost five of seven overall.
Kedra Holland-Corn scored 11 points for the Comets, but shot 4-for-11 from the floor. Sheryl Swoopes was held to just nine points for Houston, and Sheila Lambert also had nine.
The Sting trailed by nine points early in the second half, but took a 41-39 lead with 10:26 to go.
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