Swoopes Leads Comets

Sheryl Swoopes gave the Houston Comets the spark they needed.

Swoopes scored 16 of her game-high 20 points in the last 10 minutes, helping the Houston Comets break open a close game and defeat the Charlotte Sting, 67-55, Sunday at Charlotte, N.C.

“Once I hit a couple of shots, I kind of got out of the little funk I was in,” Swoopes said.

Michelle Snow scored 17 points for the Comets (11-7), and Janeth Arcain scored 13.

The Comets moved two games behind the Western Conference-leading Sacramento Monarchs.

Tammy Sutton-Brown led the Sting (3-15) with 14 points, Allison Feaster scored 12 and Tangela Smith finished with nine.

Connecticut 72, Minnesota 53 -- Margo Dydek scored a season-high 17 points, leading four Connecticut players in double figures, and the Sun pulled away in the second half at Minneapolis.

Katie Douglas scored 14 points, Nykesha Sales had 12 and Taj McWilliams-Franklin 10 for the Sun (14-4), which improved to 12-1 against the Western Conference.

Katie Smith, who did not score in the last 29 minutes, and Amanda Lassiter each scored 11 points to lead Minnesota (10-9).

Indiana 59, Detroit 58 -- Tamika Catchings scored 21 points to lead the Fever at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Kelly Miller scored 10 points for the Fever (11-6), which has won three consecutive games.

Cheryl Ford had 18 points for Detroit (7-10), which has lost three in a row and 10 of 13 since opening the season with four wins.