WNBA PLAYOFFS Sparks roll easy past Monarchs to even Western series, 71-57

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Mwadi Mabika scored 22 points and Tamecka Dixon had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to a 71-57 victory Sunday over the Sacramento Monarchs.
Lisa Leslie added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Sparks, who tied the best-of-three Western Conference semifinal series. The deciding game is Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Tangela Smith scored 15 points and Yolanda Griffith added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Monarchs, who shot 26.8 percent, one-tenth of a point higher than their all-time playoff low.
Los Angeles led by as many as 15 points in the first half but Sacramento pulled within 53-52 on Griffith's putback with 8:51 left. Mabika made three 3-pointers during an 11-2 burst to extend the lead.
Shock 76, Liberty 66
NEW YORK (AP) -- Cheryl Ford had 21 points and nine rebounds and Deanna Nolan added 18 points to lead defending WNBA champion Detroit past New York, evening the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at 1-1.
Reserve La'Keshia Frett led the Liberty with a career-high 20 points, and Crystal Robinson added 15. The Liberty set a franchise playoff record with 10 3-pointers.
After New York took its first lead of the game at 33-32 early in the second half, Detroit went on a 16-2 run over the next four minutes and stretched the lead to 17 midway through the period. The Liberty came within seven with 5:13 left.
The deciding game is Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.