Saturday, July 31, 2004
HOUSTON (AP) --The Indiana Fever could not stop Tina Thompson, and they kept sending the Houston Comets to the free-throw line.
Thompson had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Comets to a 62-54 win over the slumping Fever Saturday.
Sheryl Swoopes added 12 points for the Comets, who did not make a field goal in the final 10:52, but sank 15-of-20 free throws down the stretch.
Thompson finished 8-for-17 from the field and 11-for-14 from the line. She was 4-for-4 from 3-point range.
"Surprisingly they were giving me a lot of open shots, and those just don't come that easily," Thompson said.
Tamika Catchings had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Fever, losers of six straight games. Catchings struggled, going 6-for-24 from the field. Natalie Williams added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Fifth straight win
The Fever (12-14) got within four points with 36 seconds to go, but the Comets won their fifth straight game at the line. Houston made 20-of-28 free throws.
The Comets led 31-25 at the break behind Thompson's 18 points.
In the second half, the Fever (12-15) got within 31-29 on a jump shot by Catchings. Houston responded with a 12-5 run to take a 43-34 lead with 12:35 left.
The Comets are coming off a 80-55 win Tuesday over the second-place Seattle Storm. Houston sits in fifth place in the Western Conference.
The WNBA takes a monthlong break in August for the Olympics.
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