AROUND THE WNBA

AROUND THE WNBA
Tuesday's games
Mystics 66, Sting 61
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Chasity Melvin scored seven of her 15 points in overtime for Washington. Melvin scored six points in an 8-1 run to start the extra period, leading the Mystics (7-7) to their fourth win in five games. Alana Beard also had 15 points and Delisha Milton-Jones scored 12 for Washington, which blew a 15-point lead in the first half, and a five-point advantage with 37.9 seconds left in regulation. Dawn Staley's three-point play with 6.8 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 54-all. Tangela Smith scored 13 points and rookie Janel McCarville added a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds for the Sting (2-10), who shot 2-for-7 in the extra period.
Lynx 63, Silver Stars 53
MINNEAPOLIS -- Vanessa Hayden scored 17 points for Minnesota, which overcame an 11-point first-half deficit to win its fifth straight home game. Rookie Katie Feenstra scored 16 points for San Antonio (3-12), who fell to 1-8 on the road and 0-8 against Western Conference opponents. Katie Smith scored 14 points and Nicole Ohlde added 12 for the Lynx (8-6). Hayden's three-point play keyed a 12-3 run to bring Minnesota within 30-28 at halftime.
Sun 70, Monarchs 66
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Connecticut's Nykesha Sales scored 19 points and became the ninth player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career points. Sales made 7-of-16 shots, and reached the mark on her final basket with 1:46 left. Lindsay Whalen had 14 points and five assists for the Sun (11-2). Whalen was 4-of-6 from the free-throw line in the final 33.2 seconds to secure the Suns' third straight win and 11th in the last 12 games. DeMya Walker led the Monarchs (9-4) with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Yolanda Griffith added 16 points. Sales needs 10 steals and two assists to join Sheryl Swoopes as the only two players to reach 3,000 points, 500 assists and 400 steals in a career.
Sparks 61, Fever 58
INDIANAPOLIS -- Chamique Holdsclaw scored 17 points and Tamika Whitmore completed a three-point play with 41 seconds left to lift Los Angeles. Whitmore finished with 15 points. Her offensive rebound, layup and free throw ended the scoring. Indiana's Tully Bevilaqua's 3-point attempt from the corner bounced off the rim at the buzzer. Kelly Miller led Indiana (8-5) with 12 points and Bevilaqua had 11, including three 3-pointers. Los Angeles (8-6) made 14-of-15 free throws. Indiana, which lost for the first time in seven home games this season, battled back from 10 points down in the second half.
Comets 71, Storm 67
HOUSTON -- Sheryl Swoopes scored 21 points as Houston won its third straight victory. Michelle Snow added 11 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season, and gave the Comets a 60-59 lead with a layup with 4:58 remaining. They trailed by as many as five points in the second half. Betty Lennox got the Storm within 64-62 with a long 3-pointer with 2:17 left. But Swoopes and Snow made seven of their eight free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Seattle (7-7) has lost three straight and five of eight overall. Houston (7-5) had lost four in a row before beginning its winning streak.
Associated Press
COPYRIGHT 2005 ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN, OR REDISTRIBUTED.