WNBA ROUNDUP Friday's games

Fever 71, Sparks 67
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tamika Catchings scored 24 points and the Indiana Fever used late free throws to defeat the Sparks despite going without a field goal for the final six minutes. It was the first win for Indiana in six games with the Sparks. Los Angeles overcame a 58-44 deficit in the second half to tie the game at 65 with 56.2 seconds to play. The Sparks had a chance to take their first lead of the second half, but Lisa Leslie missed a free throw. Deanna Jackson, who contributed 10 points to the victory, hit two free throws with 37 seconds remaining. The 6-foot-5 Leslie, defended by 6-4 Kelly Schumacher, then missed a short turnaround jumper and the Fever's Stephanie White was fouled in a scramble for the loose ball. White, who scored a season-high eight points, made both free throws with 21 seconds to play. Reserve Tamecka Dixon, who topped the Sparks with 14 points, brought the visitors within two points again, but Schumacher sealed the victory as she made two free throws with 13.2 seconds to go. The Sparks (8-6) had 23 turnovers, which Indiana (7-5) converted into 24 points. Delisha Milton-Jones scored the first nine points for the Sparks, who took an early lead. But she scored only four more points while missing six free throws. Reserve Tamika Whitmore was the only other Sparks player in double figures, scoring 11 points with the help of her first two 3-pointers of the season.
Connecticut 71, Detroit 67 OT
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Nykesha Sales scored 22 points and matched a career high with 10 rebounds to lead the Sun. Sales hit two free throws with 13.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime tied at 61. Her fallaway jumper 15 seconds into the final period kicked off an 8-0 run, and the Sun held the Shock for their first win in the last eight meetings over the defending WNBA champs. Sales picked up her fifth foul with 5:57 left in regulation, but remained on the floor until the final buzzer. She was anything but tentative, grabbing three steals and three defensive rebounds in overtime. Swin Cash led Detroit with 22 points and eight rebounds. Nearly unstoppable in the opening half, Cash had 10 points in the first eight minutes and 18 by the break, shooting 8-for-10. Her baseline jumper with 1.8 seconds left tied it 34-34 at the half. Most of Cash's early baskets came on the fast break, but stronger rebounding by the Sun in the second half bottled up Detroit's running game. Cash had just one field goal in the second half. With six lead changes in the second half, neither team led by more than six points. Sales' fifth foul sent Deanna Nolan to the line and her two free throws put Detroit up 54-48. Sales then scored eight of Connecticut's final 13 points in the period, including the game-tying free throws in the closing seconds. Detroit was missing starter Cheryl Ford and reserve Barbara Harris from its front court, and the Sun out-rebounded the Shock 43-33.
Source: Associated Press