The WNBA is the Women's National Basketball Association. 2008 WNBA training camps opened April 20. The regular season began May 17. The 2008 WNBA rookie minimum salary is $34,500.. The current WNBA maximum salary is $95,000. Hit this page for a great daily WNBA basketball news roundup, plus exclusive player interviews, WNBA rumors and links, and more.

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July 20 Feature: Indiana wins first-ever NY Liberty Outdoor Classic game
July 10 Mini-Feature: Rookie superstar Candace Parker is dominating the WNBA

WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JULY 20

Fever beat Liberty in WNBA’s first outdoor game -- The AP reports: The Indiana Fever overcame the heat and humidity, and stole the spotlight—under the moonlight—from the New York Liberty in the WNBA’s first outdoor game. On a basketball court laid on top of the tennis court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Katie Douglas scored nine of her 20 points in the fourth quarter, Tamika Catchings had 15 points and nine rebounds, and the Fever (11-11) beat the Liberty 71-55 on Saturday night. Catchings believes the weather conditions—the game-time temperature was a steamy 87 degrees—were a factor as the game went on... Fireworks shot out from the sides outside the stadium before the Liberty’s starting lineup was announced, and on the court during the introductions as the players ran on the court. Janel McCarville had 10 points for New York (12-10), which had won three straight and five of seven coming in.

The AP reports: Indiana All-Star Tamika Catchings called playing in 90-degree heat at Arthur Ashe Stadium “street ball in a professional realm.” New York’s Lisa Willis didn’t seem bothered by the summer sun after coming off the practice court before the first regular-season outdoor game in professional basketball history, featuring the host Liberty and the Fever. Kids and adults were handed free fans as they entered the USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center for the fan festival at the Liberty Outdoor Classic on Saturday night. Former Knicks Allan Houston and John Starks along with former Liberty stars Kym Hampton and Sue Wicks participated in the fan festival.

Mystics fire Rollins, make Kenlaw interim coach -- The AP reports: The Washington Mystics have fired Tree Rollins as coach and promoted assistant Jessie Kenlaw to the position on an interim basis.

Augustus hits 11 straight in Minnesota’s 87-74 win -- The AP reports: Seimone Augustus made 11 straight shots from the floor and finished with a season-high 30 points to lead the Minnesota Lynx to an 87-74 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Saturday night. Augustus missed a shot 4:10 into the contest and didn’t miss again until 6:24 remained. She finished 12-of-15 in 35 minutes... Candice Wiggins added 24 points for Minnesota (11-11). Becky Hammon scored 24, Ann Wauters had 18 and Sophia Young added 15 for San Antonio (16-8), which dropped out of first place in the Western Conference.

Snow’s 20 points helps Comets beat Sparks in OT -- The AP reports: Michelle Snow scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Houston Comets to a 75-72 overtime win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night... Tamecka Dixon added 17 points, including six in overtime, for Houston which is 2-2 in overtime this season, including 1-1 against the Sparks. Hamchetou Maiga-Ba was 5-for-9 from the floor and was the only other Comets player in double figures. Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie each scored 16 points for the Sparks (13-10), which has lost five straight on the road, falling to 5-6 away from home.

Taurasi leads Mercury past Dream -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi scored 21 points in 22 minutes to lead the Phoenix Mercury past the Atlanta Dream 110-84 on Saturday night. Cappie Pondexter, second in the league in scoring behind Taurasi, added 17 points and seven rebounds in helping the defending WNBA champions rout the expansion Dream... Kasha Terry scored 16 points, including 14 in the first half, and grabbed 11 rebounds for Atlanta (3-21). Ivory Latta added 18 points and Iziane Castro Marques had 17 for the Dream, who have lost four of five after getting the franchise’s first wins.

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WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 19

Kelly lifts Monarchs to 77-73 win over Dream -- The AP reports: Although they played sloppy and nearly squandered a 19-point lead to the WNBA’s worst team, the Sacramento Monarchs are still pleased with the win. Crystal Kelly scored 15 points for the Monarchs, who held off the Atlanta Dream on Friday night for a 77-73 victory and moved into fourth place in the Western Conference where the top four teams make the playoffs. It was the third straight win for Sacramento (11-11), which took over fourth place from idle Minnesota.

Storm wins 7th straight, 65-59 over Fever -- The AP reports: Sue Bird made sure the Storm’s winning streak kept going, even without WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson. Bird’s crafty passes and clutch shots helped the Storm (15-7) overcome a 17-point first-half deficit on Friday night and run their winning streak to seven games with a 65-59 win over the Indiana Fever... Sheryl Swoopes scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in playing more minutes than usual because Jackson left the Storm this week to join the Australian Olympic basketball team.

Perkins and Sky send Sun to fifth straight loss -- The AP reports: Jia Perkins scored 15 points to lead five players in double figures and the Chicago Sky beat Connecticut 73-65 on Friday night, sending the Sun to their fifth straight loss. Chasity Melvin scored 13, K.B. Sharp had 12, Candice Dupree had 11 and rookie Quianna Chaney added a career-high 10 for Chicago (7-14), which won for just the second time in seven games... Asjha Jones scored 18 for the Sun (13-10), who have lost five consecutive road games. Tamika Whitmore scored 13 and Sandrine Gruda added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Connecticut, which lost to the Sky for the second time in nine games.

Nolan scores 21 in 1st half, lifting Shock to win -- The AP reports: Deanna Nolan scored 21 of her 26 points in the first half and led five players in double figures as the Detroit Shock cruised to a 99-62 victory over the Washington Mystics on Friday night... Taj McWilliams-Franklin led Washington with 13 points and eight rebounds. Nikki Blue added 10 points for the Mystics, who lost their second straight and for the sixth time in eight games.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR FRIDAY, JULY 18

Mercury hold off Sparks, despite Milton-Jones’ 38 -- The AP reports: Cappie Pondexter scored 27 points and the Phoenix Mercury held off the Los Angeles Sparks 99-92 on Thursday night to snap a three-game losing streak. The Mercury (10-12) led by 10 going into the final quarter but Los Angeles (13-9) rallied to within 91-88 with 1:28 left... Diana Taurasi, who added 23 points for Phoenix, then sank four straight free throws to secure the win. Milton-Jones, who averages 13.1 points, scored 19 of her 38 in the first quarter and topped her previous career-high of 26 points before halftime. She ended the night making 13-of-20 from the field, 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, and adding six rebounds and four assists.

Liberty cruise past Mystics for third straight win -- The AP reports: With some of New York’s starters struggling, the reserves stepped up and helped the Liberty pull out an easy win. Ashley Battle scored 15 of the backups’ 45 points to help New York cruise to a 77-56 victory over the Washington Mystics on Thursday night... Alana Beard scored 15 points and Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Mystics (8-13). Washington shot 34 percent from the field and committed 22 turnovers that led to 27 points for New York.

Thompson scores 25 to lead Comets past Lynx -- The AP reports: Tina Thompson scored 25 points off the bench, helping the Houston Comets snap a three-game losing streak with a 96-88 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday... Tamecka Dixon added 22 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Comets (10-12). Sancho Lyttle scored 16 points and tied a career-high with 18 rebounds, and Maiga-Ba finished with 14 points... Wiggins wound up with 27 points off the bench for Minnesota. Seimone Augustus finished with 17, Vanessa Hayden-Johnson had 14 and Kristen Rasmussen 10.

Catchings cleared after MRI reveals heel OK -- The AP reports: Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings was cleared to play Thursday after an MRI showed no damage to her Achilles’ tendon, which she injured last season.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 17

Ford, Humphrey lead Shock to 10-0 home record -- The AP reports: Cheryl Ford had 14 points to help Detroit maintain the league’s only unbeaten home record (10-0), but she’s concerned about Detroit’s propensity to lose big leads... Ford and rookie Tasha Humphrey, who scored 12 points, were the only Shock players to reach double figures. Guards Katie Smith and Deanna Nolan combined for just 12 points on 5-for-17 shooting, while top reserve Plenette Pierson had nine... Jia Perkins of the Sky led all scorers with 26 points, and Candice Dupree had 12.

Atlanta wins again, defeats Indiana on road -- The AP reports: The Atlanta Dream continued their strong play after a dismal start to their season. Iziane Castro Marques had 24 points and Betty Lennox scored 11 of her 16 in the fourth quarter to lead the expansion Dream to an 81-77 victory Wednesday against the Indiana Fever... Indiana forward Tamika Catchings had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists before re-injuring her right heel with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter... Katie Douglas had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Ebony Hoffman added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Fever (10-10), who ended their five-game home winning streak.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 16

Silver Stars hold off Mercury -- The AP reports: Sophia Young scored 10 of her 26 points in the third quarter, leading the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 97-87 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night. Becky Hammon scored 19 points and Ann Wauters and Erin Buescher each added 15 for San Antonio (16-7), which leads the West by a game over Seattle... Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi each had 23 points for the Mercury (9-12), who have lost three straight and five of six. The duo—the top two scorers in the league—were a combined 10-of-29 from the field going into the final quarter.

Willis leads Liberty over Sun 77-71 -- The AP reports: Lisa Willis scored a career-high 18 points and the New York Liberty beat the slumping Connecticut Sun 77-71 Tuesday night. Shameka Christon had 14 points for New York, while Cathrine Kraayeveld scored 11 and Janel McCarville had 10. The Liberty (11-9) won their second straight and moved one game behind the second-place Sun (13-9), who have lost four straight... Lindsay Whalen led the Sun with 19 points, while Jamie Carey had a career-high 18 on six 3-pointers and Asjha Jones scored 16.

Storm sign G O”Neill to seven-day deal -- Ticker reports: The Seattle Storm on Tuesday signed guard Kristen O’Neill to a third seven-day contract.

The AP reports: Atlanta’s road trip got off to a promising start, but things haven’t gone quite as smoothly since then. The expansion Dream will be trying to regain their recent brief momentum when they visit the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. Atlanta (2-19) set a WNBA record for the worst start to a season by dropping its first 17 games. The Dream finally got into the win column by beating Chicago 91-84 at home July 5, and four days later defeated Minnesota 73-67 to kick off a season-high six-game road trip.

The AP reports: Though they’ve been struggling recently on the road, the Detroit Shock still are perfect at home this season. The Eastern Conference-leading Shock look to stay undefeated at The Palace of Auburn Hills when they face the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night. At 9-0, Detroit (14-7) is the only WNBA team with a perfect home record. The Shock have already broken their franchise record of six straight home wins to start a season, and their nine-game run is just four shy of tying the team record set July 20, 2005-June 25, 2006.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR TUESDAY, JULY 15

Parker scores 24 to lead Sparks past Silver Stars -- The AP reports: Candace Parker had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to a 75-62 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Monday night. DeLisha Milton-Jones added 15 points and Lisa Leslie had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Sparks (13-8), who broke a two-game losing streak... Becky Hammon scored 21 points and Ann Wauters had 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Silver Stars (15-7), whose seven-game winning streak ended.

The AP reports: The San Antonio Silver Stars climbed to the top of the Western Conference with their longest win streak in seven years. The end of that run, however, has them fighting to hold on to first place. The Silver Stars look to bounce back from their first loss in more than two weeks and protect the top spot in the West on Tuesday night when they visit the struggling Phoenix Mercury. After dropping consecutive games to Houston on June 24 and 26 to fall to 8-6 on the season, San Antonio (15-7) won seven straight for its longest run since a franchise-record eight-game win streak in 2001, when the team played in Utah.

The AP reports: The Connecticut Sun hope a return home will help them snap their longest losing streak of the season. The Sun will try to end a three-game slide on Tuesday night when they face the New York Liberty at Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut (13-8) is coming off Sunday’s 69-64 road loss to Washington. All three losses during the skid have come on the road, where the Sun have dropped four straight overall.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR MONDAY, JULY 14

Blue’s late free throws help Mystics hold off Sun -- The AP reports: Nikki Blue scored a career-high 13 points, including two key free throws in the final minute, and the Washington Mystics held off the Connecticut Sun 69-64 Sunday. Taj McWilliams-Franklin had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Nakia Sanford added nine points and 11 rebounds for the Mystics (8-12), who won despite making only two baskets in the fourth quarter. Lindsay Whalen scored a career high-tying 33 points for the Sun (13-8), who shot just 33 percent from the field. Rookie Amber Holt had 10 points and was the only other Connecticut player with more than six.

Perkins, Dupree lead Sky past Dream -- The AP reports: Jia Perkins and Candice Dupree scored 18 points apiece to help the Chicago Sky snap a four-game losing streak with a 79-66 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday night... Katie Feenstra had a season-high 21 points for Atlanta (2-19), which had won two of three after starting the season 0-17. Jennifer Lacy and Betty Lennox each scored 11 while Kristin Haynie added nine.

The AP reports: San Antonio will look to match a franchise record with its eighth straight victory on Monday night when it visits slumping Los Angeles, which will be playing its final home game for more than six weeks. The Sparks (12-8) were the WNBA’s hottest team early in the season, winning 10 of their first 13 games to move into first place in the West. Since then, they’ve lost five of seven, including their last two by 18 points each. The hottest team now is the Silver Stars (15-6), who have the best record in the league and longest active winning streak. They haven’t won eight in a row since 2001, when the team played in Utah.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JULY 13

Sue Bird scores 18, lifts Storm over Sparks -- The AP reports: Sue Bird scored 18 points and Lauren Jackson added 14 for the Seattle Storm, who extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Los Angeles Sparks 70-52 Saturday night. The Storm (14-7) had four players in doubles figures... Rookie star Candace Parker led the Sparks (12-8) with 14 points, making 6 of 14 shots. She came in averaging 18.7 points.

Newton scores 18 points in Monarch’s 105-97 win -- The AP reports: Chelsea Newton of the Sacramento Monarchs could do little to stop an old college teammate, so she decided to focus on offense as much as defense. Newton had a career-high 18 points for the Monarchs, who beat the Phoenix Mercury 103-97 Saturday night despite a 33-point effort from Cappie Pondexter, who played with Newton for three years at Rutgers... Nicole Powell and Kara Lawson had 15 points each for the Monarchs (10-11), and Ticha Penicheiro scored 14 points and had six assists. Despite playing with an injured knee, Rebekkah Brunson had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Crystal Kelly added 10.

Augustus scores 27, Lynx top Comets 85-71 -- The AP reports: Seimone Augustus scored 27 points and Anna DeForge added 17 as the Minnesota Lynx beat the Houston Comets 85-71 on Saturday night. DeForge was 5-for-10 from 3-point range for the Lynx (10-10), who shot 10-for-20 from beyond the arc. Nicky Anosike had her second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which had lost two in a row and four of five. Candice Wiggins added 10 points in a reserve role.

Christon, Moore rally Liberty past Shock, 74-64 -- The AP reports: The New York Liberty weren’t intimidated by the Detroit Shock, not even when facing an 18-point deficit. Shameka Christon scored 19 points, Loree Moore and Janel McCarville added 13 each and the Liberty beat the first-place Shock 74-64 on Saturday night... Katie Smith and Plenette Pierson scored 13 points each, Cheryl Ford had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and rookie Tasha Humphrey also had 11 points for Detroit (14-7). The Shock, a perfect 9-0 at home, have lost four straight on the road.

Douglas scores 25 in Fever’s 66-57 win over Sky -- The AP reports: Katie Douglas scored 13 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Indiana Fever netted the final seven points in a 66-57 victory over the Chicago Sky on Saturday night. Douglas scored all but 10 of the Fever’s fourth-quarter points and made all 10 of her free throws to go along with 7-of-17 shooting from the field... Candice DuPree, who made her first eight field goals, led the Sky with 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Jia Perkins, who sank just 4 of 16 shots, added 10 points for the Chicago (5-13), which lost its fourth straight.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 12

Hammon leads Silver Stars over Dream, 82-74 -- The AP reports: Becky Hammon scored 26 points, Sophia Young had 25 points and 11 rebounds and the San Antonio Silver Stars rallied for an 82-74 victory over the lowly Atlanta Dream on Friday night. Vickie Johnson had 10 points and eight rebounds for San Antonio, which won its seven straight game. The franchise record is eight... The Dream (2-18), led by Betty Lennox, who scored 22 points, are back to the loss column after winning two straight.

Smith scores 23, Shock top Mystics 79-66 -- The AP reports: Katie Smith scored 23 points and Cheryl Ford added 14 in the Detroit Shock’s 79-66 victory over the Washington Mystics on Friday night. Smith went 7-for-9 on 3-pointers to help the Shock (14-6) take a one-game lead over Connecticut in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference. Detroit will play at New York on Saturday... Coco Miller had 15 points in a reserve role to lead Washington. Monique Curry was the only starter to reach double figures with 13 points.

Detroit Shock sign forward-center Stacey Lovelace -- The AP reports: Stacey Lovelace will return to her native Detroit to play for the Shock. The forward-center, who played at St. Martin De Porres High, was waived earlier this week by Atlanta.

Back in WNBA, Wauters rising in San Antonio -- The AP reports: Although Ann Wauters is in a new place in her return to the WNBA after a two-year absence, she has some familiar faces with her. After averaging 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds for New York in 2005, Wauters missed the last two seasons while trying to help Belgium qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Atlanta selected her in the expansion draft this offseason and then traded her to San Antonio, where she was reunited with former Liberty teammates Becky Hammon and Vickie Johnson, as well as coach Dan Hughes, who drafted her in 2000 when he was with the Cleveland Rockers.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR FRIDAY, JULY 11

Powell scores 24 in Monarchs’ 87-69 rout of Sparks -- The AP reports: Kara Lawson’s big day started with a selection to the U.S. Olympic basketball team and finished with a big win for her and the Sacramento Monarchs. Nicole Powell scored 24 points and Lawson had 10 of her 13 points in the third quarter for the Monarchs, who pulled away in the second half in dealing the Los Angeles Sparks a humbling 87-69 defeat... The Monarchs slowed Los Angeles rookie Candace Parker, who had scored 71 points in her previous two games, including a career-high 40 in an overtime victory against Houston on Wedneday night. Parker had 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, but never found a good rhythm.

Wauters scores 23 as Silver Stars beat Sky -- The AP reports: Ann Wauters scored 23 points and the San Antonio Silver Stars ran the WNBA’s longest active winning streak to six games with a 75-67 win over the Chicago Sky on Thursday night. San Antonio (14-6) owns the best record in the league. Chicago (5-12) has lost three straight and eight of last 10... Jia Perkins paced the Sky with 17 points. Candace Dupree had 13 and Dominique Canty scored 12.

Jackson leads Seattle past Phoenix 89-78 -- The AP reports: The surging Seattle Storm are peaking just in time to say so long to their best player. Lauren Jackson rebounded from a horrible start to score 19 of her 25 points in the second half and Seattle’s defense stymied the high-powered Phoenix Mercury in the Storm’s 89-78 win on Thursday afternoon... Cappie Pondexter led the Mercury with 20 points and Diana Taurasi added 16, but Taurasi went more than 11 minutes without scoring as Seattle took control late in the third quarter. The top two scorers in the WNBA were a combined 12 of 34 shooting.

The AP reports: The San Antonio Silver Stars are no doubt favored to continue their dominance of the Eastern Conference on Thursday, but the expansion Atlanta Dream have shown they aren’t pushovers anymore. The best team in the league hosts the club with the WNBA’s worst record Friday when the league-leading Silver Stars try to complete a season sweep of the Dream, who are in search of a third straight win. San Antonio (14-6) improved to 8-0 against the East with a 75-67 win at Chicago on Thursday. Ann Wauters had 23 points and 11 boards as the Silver Stars never trailed after the first quarter and won their sixth straight game.

The AP reports: It’s impossible to pinpoint how the Detroit Shock have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference, but their strong play at home certainly is a key factor. After taking over first place in the East with their eighth consecutive home win, the Shock look to remain undefeated at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday night when they meet the Washington Mystics. Detroit (13-6) beat Connecticut 88-82 on Tuesday to overtake the Sun for the top spot in the East. The Shock are 8-2 against conference foes this year, and will play their next four games against teams from the East, including two home contests.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 10

Sparks rally for 82-74 win over Comets -- The AP reports: Candace Parker scored a career-high 40 points and had 16 rebounds, six assists and five blocks to help the Los Angeles Sparks rally for a 82-74 overtime victory against the Houston Comets on Wednesday night... Tina Thompson had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Comets (9-11), who committed 22 turnovers that resulted in 24 points. Sancho Lyttle added 12 points.

Lennox takes over, leads Dream past Lynx -- The AP reports: Betty Lennox scored 17 of her 24 points in the second half and the Atlanta Dream won their second straight game, beating the Minnesota Lynx 73-67 on Wednesday night. Ivory Latta and Jennifer Lacy had 11 each for the Dream, who lost the first 17 games of their inaugural season before getting their first win Saturday against Chicago... Seimone Augustus led Minnesota with 17 points. Nicky Anosike and Candice Wiggins added 11 for the Lynx, who have lost four of five and nine of 12.

The AP reports: Two straight scoring sprees by Candace Parker have helped carry the Los Angeles Sparks. Parker looks to continue her surge and lead the Sparks to a third straight win when they visit the Sacramento Monarchs on Thursday. Los Angeles (12-6) lost three straight - with Parker averaging 15.7 points in that stretch - before she scored 31 in a 91-80 win over Phoenix on Sunday. The rookie superstar followed that up with a spectacular performance Wednesday, totaling a career-high 40 points and 16 rebounds in an 82-74 overtime victory over Houston.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

Jackson’s 17 lifts Storm over Monarchs -- The AP reports: Lauren Jackson had 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to a 79-64 victory Tuesday night over the Sacramento Monarchs. Sue Bird had 16 points and nine assists for Seattle, which passed idle Los Angeles for second place in the West, one game behind San Antonio. The Storm also snapped a six-game road losing streak with their second away win of the year.

Hammon, Young lead Silver Stars past Liberty -- The AP reports: Becky Hammon scored 27 points against her former team and Sophia Young added 23 as the San Antonio Silver Stars won their fifth straight game with a 83-79 victory over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night... Ann Wauters added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Silver Stars, who matched their season-best winning streak... The Liberty were led by Shameka Christon’s 27 points.

Detroit beats Connecticut 88-82 for East lead -- The AP reports: Plenette Pierson scored 23 points and Katie Smith added 17 to help the Detroit Shock beat the Connecticut Sun 88-82 Tuesday in a matchup of the Eastern Conference’s top teams. Detroit (13-6) took a half-game lead over the Sun (13-7) for first place in the conference... Asjha Jones led the Sun with 21, but only got five in the second half.

Fourth quarter rally lifts Mystics over Fever -- The AP reports: Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 12 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter to help the Washington Mystics rally for a 50-48 victory over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night. The Fever and Mystics, the lowest scoring team in the WNBA coming into the game, combined for the lowest-scoring game in the league this season... Ebony Hoffman led the Fever with 16 points.

Mercury rally to beat Comets 99-94 -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi hit a 3-pointer with 42.6 seconds left, then blocked a shot on the other end to help lift the Phoenix Mercury over the Houston Comets 99-94 on Tuesday. Taurasi scored 30 points and got into the WNBA record books, reaching 3,000 career points in fewer games than any other player. Taurasi needed 151 games to reach that mark. Seattle’s Lauren Jackson held the record, hitting 3,000 in 162 games... Tina Thompson scored 23 points and Sancho Lyttle added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Comets, who had won the last two and eight of 10.

Storm sign O”Neill to seven-day contract -- Ticker reports: The Seattle Storm signed guard Kristen O’Neill to a second seven-day contract on Tuesday.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR TUESDAY, JULY 8

Sparks sign G Jacobs -- Ticker reports: The Los Angeles Sparks on Monday signed guard Amber Jacobs. Jacobs had averaged 1.7 points and 1.8 assists in six games with the Washington Mystics earlier this season before being released.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR MONDAY, JULY 7

Hammon scores 28 and Silver Stars beat Mystics -- The AP reports: After watching the San Antonio Silver Stars’ double-digit, second-half lead fade into a one-point deficit, Becky Hammon and Sophia Young got aggressive. Hammon scored a season-high 28 points and combined with Young to score San Antonio’s final 24 points and the Silver Stars held off the Washington Mystics for a 83-75 win on Sunday... Beard led the Mystics (6-11) with 20 points, including 18 in the second half. Rookie Crystal Langhorne scored a career-high 17 points and Taj McWilliams-Franklin added 15 points for the Mystics, who have dropped three straight games and failed to stop the Silver Stars offense down the stretch.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JULY 6

Lauren Jackson has 34 points as Storm beat Lynx -- The AP reports: Lauren Jackson scored 16 of her season-high 34 points in the first quarter, and the Seattle Storm rallied from an early deficit to rout the Minnesota Lynx 96-71 on Saturday night. Jackson was 15-of-22 from the floor, including 7-of-11 during the first quarter. Her last basket of the game was a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Storm (11-7) a 72-51 lead with 2:14 left in the third quarter. She sat out the final 12 minutes as Seattle’s lead never slipped below 20.

Liberty stops Mercury streak at four -- The AP reports: Shameka Christon scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half and the New York Liberty snapped the Phoenix Mercury’s four-game winning streak, 93-83 on Saturday night. Diana Taurasi led the Mercury (8-8) with 25 points, despite missing 12 of 19 shots from the field. Janel McCarville had 21 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Liberty, who improved to 2-2 on their five-game road trip. New York (9-8) finishes its stretch at San Antonio on Tuesday.

Latta scores 18, Dream wins first game -- The AP reports: The Atlanta Dream’s wait for their first win is over. Ivory Latta scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half to help the expansion Dream end the longest losing skid to start a season in league history with a 91-84 victory over the Chicago Sky on Saturday night... Kristin Haynie had 11 points and 11 assists and Jennifer Lacy added 18 points for Atlanta (1-17), which became the first team without a win by the midpoint of the season when it lost to Connecticut on June 27 to fall to 0-14.

Sutton-Brown, Douglas lead Fever in win over sun -- The AP reports: Tammy Sutton-Brown and Katie Douglas each scored 18 points to lead the Indianapolis Fever to an 81-74 win over the Connecticut Sun on Saturday night... Asjha Jones scored 20 points, and Lindsay Whalen and Tamika Whitmore each had 15 points for Connecticut. Tamika Catchings and Ebony Hoffman each scored 11 for the Fever.

Tina Thompson returns from broken finger to score 19 -- The AP reports: Tina Thompson scored 19 points in her first game since missing four games because of a broken finger, leading the Houston Comets to a 73-65 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on Saturday.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 5

Improved and confident, Asjha Jones key for Sun -- The AP reports: Asjha Jones has quietly developed into one of the Connecticut Sun’s key players. The seventh-year forward was becoming a solid player off the bench for the Sun two years ago, and has flourished since becoming a starter last season. After averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds her first four seasons, Jones improved to 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 2006—her last season as a reserve. She moved into the starting lineup last year after the Sun traded Taj McWilliams-Franklin before the season, and averaged career highs with 15.3 points and 6.1 boards.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR FRIDAY, JULY 4

Lynx pull away from Sparks with big fourth quarter -- The AP reports: Seimone Augustus scored a season-high 29 points to lead the Minnesota Lynx to an 88-70 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night. Candice Wiggins added 19 points off the bench and Nicky Anosike grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lynx (9-8), who ended a two-game losing streak... Lisa Leslie had a season-high 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Sparks (10-6), who fell into second place in the Western Conference—a half-game behind San Antonio.

Jackson leads Storm to win over Liberty, 84-71 -- The AP reports: Lauren Jackson scored 23 of her season-high 33 points in the first half Thursday night to lead the Seattle Storm to an 84-71 win over the New York Liberty. Sue Bird scored a season-high 23 points and had six assists for Seattle (10-7), which won for the third win in four games overall and improved to 9-1 at home... Shameka Christon had 19 points and rookie Essence Carson added 16 to lead New York (8-8), which has lost six of eight on the road. Liberty center Janel McCarville injured a finger in the first half and played only eight minutes.

Young’s three-point play lifts Silver Stars -- The AP reports: Sophia Young always wanted to hit a game-winning shot, and she finally did it. Young had 20 points and 12 rebounds, including a three-point play with 5.5 seconds left to give the San Antonio Silver Stars a 68-67 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on Thursday night.

Lyttle helps Comets beat winless Dream -- The AP reports: Sancho Lyttle was not going to let the Houston Comets give up a large lead for the second game in a row. In place of injured Olympian Tina Thompson, Lyttle had 15 points and 18 rebounds to help the Comets hold off a late rally to beat the winless Atlanta Dream 72-65 on Thursday night.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JULY 3

Catchings scores 18 to lead Fever past Chicago -- The AP reports: Tamika Catchings scored a season-high 18 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky 74-67 on Wednesday night. Catchings added six rebounds, three assists and two steals in her eighth game of the season after missing the team’s first eight. She suffered a torn right Achilles’ tendon in last year’s Eastern Conference finals and underwent surgery in September. “I definitely feel like I’m getting back,” she said. “Every day is a process, it’s one step closer to where I want to be. Coming in today, I just felt really good.”


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 30

Bird scores 14 as Storm beat Mystics 64-49 -- The AP reports: Sue Bird had 14 points and seven assists to lead a balanced attack as the Seattle Storm beat the Washington Mystics 64-49 on Sunday night. Lauren Jackson scored 13 points, Sheryl Swoopes 11, Swin Cash 10 and Yolanda Griffith nine to help Seattle (9-7) move into third place in the Western Conference, one-half game behind second-place San Antonio (9-6).

Detroit keeps Atlanta winless, 100-92 -- The AP reports: Despite being short-handed, Kara Braxton wasn’t going to let the Detroit Shock lose to another Eastern Conference cellar dweller. Braxton scored a career-high 26 points Sunday and had nine rebounds to help the injury-depleted Shock keep the Atlanta Dream winless with a 100-92 victory... Katie Smith added 24 points and Deanna Nolan had 18 points and tied her career-high with 11 assists for Detroit, which was missing starters Cheryl Ford (knee) and Elaine Powell (foot) and key reserve Plenette Pierson (knee)... Atlanta (0-15) got a career-high 26 points from Tamera Young and 22 from Betty Lennox as it added to the league’s record for futility. Ivory Latta added 18 points.

Taurasi leads Mercury to 87-80 win over Sun -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi scored 25 points, leading the Phoenix Mercury past the Connecticut Sun 87-80 on Sunday for their fifth win in six games. Tangela Smith added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Mercury, who took advantage of 14 offensive rebounds—10 in the second half—to sweep the season series from Connecticut.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 29

Lawson, Monarchs beat Liberty 82-78 -- The AP reports: Kara Lawson scored 21 points and had two key baskets in the fourth quarter to help the Sacramento Monarchs beat the New York Liberty 82-78 on Saturday night... Nicole Powell had 17 points and five rebounds, and Rebekkah Brunson added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Monarchs (7-8), who stopped a two-game losing streak. Shameka Christon had 17 points and Janel McCarville chipped in 13 for New York (7-7). The Liberty were just 11-for-24 from the free throw line.

Sky beat Shock to end 5-game losing streak -- The AP reports: Candice Dupree scored 18 points, Jia Perkins and Dominique Canty each had 14, and the Chicago Sky snapped a five-game losing streak with a 76-59 victory over the Detroit Shock on Saturday night. Chasity Melvin added 10 points and eight rebounds as the Sky (4-9) beat the Shock for the first time in Chicago. It was their first victory since beating Atlanta 91-70 on June 7.

With Augustus out, Silver Stars beat Lynx -- The AP reports: Sophia Young scored 20 points, Ann Wauters added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and the San Antonio Silver Stars capitalized on Seimone Augustus’ absence to beat the Minnesota Lynx, 73-65 on Saturday night... Nicky Anosike scored 16 points for Minnesota, which had won two straight.

Ajavon leads Comets over Fever, 75-61 -- The AP reports: Matee Ajavon scored a season-high 24 points, tying a Houston rookie record, and the Comets pulled away in the fourth quarter for their fourth straight win, 75-61 over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night... Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 13 points, and Tameka Catchings added 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting. Indiana committed 26 turnovers, which Houston turned into 29 points.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Asjha Jones leads Sun to 109-101 win over Dream in OT -- The AP reports: Asjha Jones scored eight of her team-high 30 points in overtime Friday to lead the Connecticut Sun to a 109-101 win over the winless Atlanta Dream. Tamika Whitmore scored 28 points, including six in OT for Connecticut, which narrowly avoided becoming the first team to lose to the expansion Dream. Betty Lennox scored a career-high 44 points, adding nine rebounds and seven assists for Atlanta (0-14), which broke the WNBA record for most losses to begin a season. The 44 points tied Cynthia Cooper for third place on the league’s single-game scoring list.

Catchings coming along in return from injury -- The AP reports: Tamika Catchings believes she is 75 percent recovered from an Achilles’ tendon injury and improving every day. The Indiana Fever star—perennially the team’s leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals—tore her right Achilles in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. She had surgery last September and the lengthy recovery process forced her to miss the first eight games this season.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 26

The AP reports: The Connecticut Sun went more than three years between regular-season victories over the Detroit Shock. Now they have a chance to make it two wins in three days against the defending Eastern Conference champions. The Sun look to complete a home-and-home sweep of the Shock on Thursday as the East’s top teams meet at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The rivals entered Tuesday’s matchup tied in the standings, but they had been anything but equals in head-to-head play in recent years.

The AP reports: By becoming the second woman to dunk in a WNBA game - and repeating the feat one game later - Candace Parker has drawn plenty of attention to the Los Angeles Sparks. Beyond the dunks, however, Parker and the Sparks have done more than enough this season to get noticed. Western Conference-leading Los Angeles looks for its seventh win in eight games Thursday when it hosts the Washington Mystics.

The AP reports: The Minnesota Lynx broke a five-game losing streak with their biggest win of the season. Now they hope to put together a more positive string of games they host the Sacramento Monarchs on Thursday in the finale of a three-game homestand. Minnesota (7-6) recorded its first win since June 8 on Tuesday, 91-69 over New York. The 22-point victory was the largest of the season for the Lynx as they emphatically ended their skid.

The AP reports: The San Antonio Silver Stars had their five-game winning streak snapped in overtime at home by the Houston Comets in their last contest. They’ll try for some revenge Thursday when the teams finish out their home-and-home series. The Silver Stars (8-5) and Comets (5-8) met Tuesday at the AT&T Center in their second matchup of the season. Houston, last in the Western Conference, knocked off second-place San Antonio 82-81 in overtime.

The AP reports: The New York Liberty have thrived at Madison Square Garden this season, but their struggles on the road have kept them at .500. They’ll try to climb above that mark Thursday as they welcome the Indiana Fever to Manhattan before embarking on a difficult five-game Western Conference road trip. New York (6-6) has won five of its last six home games, including a 105-72 drubbing of defending champion Phoenix on Sunday in which the Liberty set a new franchise single-game scoring record.

The AP reports: The Phoenix Mercury have struggled defensively all season, particularly over the last four games. But with the WNBA’s top two scorers on their side, they’re winning anyway. Despite their defensive deficiencies, the defending champion Mercury will look for their fourth victory in five games on Thursday when they continue a five-game road trip with a matchup against the Chicago Sky.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25

Candace Parker dunks again and Sparks defeat Storm in WNBA -- The AP reports: Candace Parker dunked for the second consecutive game and had 22 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to a 76-62 victory over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night. “Candace is definitely improving every single game,” the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie said. “It has taken her a while to make the adjustment, but her work ethic is definitely improving day by day, and it’s part of our responsibility to make sure she gets that in practice.”

Thompson’s jumper in closing seconds gives Comets a win -- The AP reports: Tina Thompson came back to play with a broken finger Tuesday night and wound up beating the San Antonio Silver Stars. Thompson hit a 13-foot jumper with 1.2 seconds left to lift the Houston Comets to an 82-81 overtime win over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Tuesday night. Earlier in the game, she fractured the tip of the ring finger on her non-shooting hand when she fell into courtside seats.

Asjha Jones scores 20 to lead Sun over Shock, 85-68 -- The AP reports: Detroit had dominated its recent games with Connecticut, winning five in a row coming into Tuesday night. But Asjha Jones scored 20 points and rookie Amber Holt added a career-high 19 as the Sun moved ahead of the Shock and into first place in the Eastern Conference with an 85-68 victory. Connecticut (11-3) hadn’t beaten Detroit since Aug. 26, 2006, and hadn’t beaten Detroit (10-4) in a regular-season game since June 18, 2005. Rookie Kerri Gardin also scored a career-high 14 for the Sun, who outrebounded the Shock, 42-32.

Lynx snap five-game losing streak -- The AP reports: Seimone Augustus scored 21 points and had nine assists, and the Minnesota Lynx put an end to a few dubious streaks with a 91-69 victory over the New York Liberty on Tuesday... Shameka Christon scored 20 for the Liberty, but fouled out with 4:59 left and New York trailing by 10. Ashley Battle chipped in 17 points, but second-leading scorer and former University of Minnesota star Janel McCarville shot just 2-for-7 for four points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Hoffman’s 23 points lead Fever past Monarchs -- The AP reports: Ebony Hoffman has embraced her role as one of the Indiana Fever’s go-to players this season. The Indiana forward had career highs with 23 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday night and the Fever rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Sacramento Monarchs 78-73... Ticha Penicheiro had 15 points and Kara Lawson chipped in 12 for Sacramento (6-7), which lost its sixth consecutive game at Conseco Fieldhouse and dropped to 1-6 all-time in Indianapolis.

Taurasi scores 31 to lead Mercury over Mystics -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi scored 31 points and fellow U.S. Olympian Cappie Pondexter added 28 as the Phoenix Mercury beat the Washington Mystics 98-90, halting the host’s winning streak at three on Tuesday night. The Mercury (5-7) bounced back from their worst loss in nearly six years, earning just their second road victory this season, a day after visiting President Bush at a White House ceremony honoring their 2007 championship.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 24

Dream 1 away from WNBA record 14th straight loss -- The AP reports: The Atlanta Dream are off to a nightmarish start as the WNBA expansion franchise is one setback away from its league-record 14th consecutive loss. Betty Lennox sat in front of her locker Sunday with a befuddled look once again, this time following Atlanta’s 13th straight loss, a 97-76 pounding against the Detroit Shock. Lennox tried to conjure up a reason for the Dream’s string of losses. “At this point, I’m very frustrated,” Lennox said.”I wish I had some answers. But we have to win.”

Mystics sign F Wecker -- Ticker reports: The Washington Mystics on Monday signed forward Kendra Wecker, who was released by the San Antonio Silver Stars before the start of the season... To make room for Wecker, Washington waived guard Amber Jacobs.

Atlanta trades Little to Seattle, signs Terry -- The AP reports: The Atlanta Dream traded forward Camille Little to the Seattle Storm and signing free agent Kasha Terry of Georgia Tech on Monday. Atlanta acquired Seattle’s 2009 second-round draft pick for Little, who averaged 4.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13 games.

President Bush congratulates Mercury on 2007 title -- The AP reports: President Bush congratulated the Phoenix Mercury on Monday for winning the WNBA title in 2007. Bush told a gathering at the White House’s east garden that the Mercury brought “new glory” to women’s athletics.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 23

Candace Parker dunks in Sparks’ win over Fever -- The AP reports: Candace Parker became the second woman to dunk in a WNBA game and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Indiana Fever 77-63 on Sunday night. Parker took a pass from Raffaella Masciadri, dribbled the length of the court and dunked with her right hand with 29 seconds to play... Parker finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and four assists. Leslie added 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks... Tamika Catchings scored 17 points in her first start of the season for the Fever (6-6), who lost for the third time in four games. Katie Douglas had 11 points and tied her career high with five steals.

Monarchs beat Sky 82-70 -- The AP reports: Crystal Kelly has definitely found a home with the Sacramento Monarchs. Kelly has been a key contributor in reserve all season for the Monarchs, and that was true again Sunday night when she scored 13 points. Adrian Williams-Strong added 11 to help Sacramento beat the Chicago Sky 82-70... Jia Perkins scored 12 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter, and Candice Dupree had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Sky (3-8), who trailed most of the game and lost their fourth straight. Chasity Melvin had 10 points for Chicago. Armintie Price, who had 22 points in an earlier win against the Monarchs, contributed just six.

Shock hand Dream 13th straight loss -- The AP reports: Cheryl Ford had 20 points and 12 rebounds to help the Detroit Shock beat Atlanta 97-76 Sunday, sending the expansion Dream to a WNBA-record tying 13th straight loss to start the season. The Dream became the second team in league history to open 0-13, matching Detroit in 2002. But there is reason to have hope, the Shock bounced back the next year to win the WNBA title. “Man, we just have to get that monkey off our back,” said Ivory Latta, who scored a career-high 26 points and 10 assists.

Jackson leads Liberty to franchise-record win -- The AP reports: The New York Liberty started a key stretch of their schedule with a record-setting win over the defending champions. Tiffany Jackson scored a career-high 21 points and the Liberty set a franchise scoring mark with a 105-72 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday... The Liberty hit 11 3-pointers and shot 54 percent from the field to eclipse the mark of 95 points scored at Phoenix on June 21, 2001. New York (6-5) was sparked by the return of Loree Moore, who missed the last five games with a back injury. She had 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Storm acquire F Little from Dream -- Ticker reports: The Seattle Storm on Sunday acquired forward Camille Little from the expansion Atlanta Dream. The Storm will send their second-round pick in 2009 to the Dream for the 6-2 Little.

Lynx acquire F Thomas from Shock -- Ticker reports: The Minnesota Lynx added to their frontcourt on Sunday, picking up forward LaToya Thomas in a trade from the Detroit Shock. A struggling player despite being drafted first overall in 2003, Thomas was acquired for reserve guard Eshaya Murphy.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 22

Tina Thompson scores 18 in Comets’ 72-65 win over Lynx -- The AP reports: Ever so slowly, the Houston Comets are starting to find their rhythm. On the other hand, the Minnesota Lynx have hit speed bumps after a fast start. Tina Thompson scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Shannon Johnson added 16 points for the Comets, who beat Minnesota 72-65 on Saturday night for their third win in four games... Rookie Candice Wiggins kept Minnesota (6-6) in the game with 24 points, including 13 from the foul line, but the Lynx lost for the sixth time in seven contests.

The AP reports: In her third WNBA game, Los Angeles Sparks phenom Candace Parker put together a performance unlike any other in league history. After that game, however, the Indiana Fever were celebrating a close victory thanks to what they considered a successful defensive scheme against the rookie forward. Parker and the Sparks look to avenge that loss and avoid dropping back-to-back games for the first time this season as they host the Fever on Sunday night.

The AP reports: Despite winning two WNBA championships in the last five seasons and the Eastern Conference title last year, the Detroit Shock still have the distinction of stumbling to the worst start in league history in 2002. With a win Sunday, they’ll at least have some company. The visiting Shock will look to hand the expansion Atlanta Dream a 13th consecutive loss to begin their inaugural season, a skid that would match Detroit’s record set just one year before winning its first league title.

The AP reports: It’s difficult to explain why the Sacramento Monarchs can’t seem to win at home, but haven’t had any problems doing so on the road. It’s also hard to blame the Monarchs if they’re eager to get out of town. Sacramento will try to avoid going winless on a three-game homestand Sunday, when the Chicago Sky visit Arco Arena looking to end a three-game losing streak.

The AP reports: After a slow start to the season, the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury appear to have hit their stride. Phoenix guards Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi have also managed to put a dry spell behind them. Hoping to continue their offensive surge following their worst shooting performances of the season, Pondexter and Taurasi look to lead the Mercury to their fifth win in seven games in the opener of a five-game road trip Sunday against the New York Liberty.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 21

Nolan scores franchise-record 44 for Shock in OT win -- The AP reports: Deanna Nolan isn’t expecting to be in Beijing in August for the Olympics. Both the United States and Russia might regret that decision. Nolan scored a franchise-record 44 points, including 28 in the fourth quarter and overtime, and the Detroit Shock remained unbeaten at home with a 98-93 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Friday night.

Mercury outlast Sky in OT, 112-105 -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi scored 33 points and Cappie Pondexter added 31 to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 112-105 overtime victory over the Chicago Sky on Friday night. Taurasi, who had 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks, hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game with 2:43 left in overtime to give Phoenix (4-6) the lead for good... Jia Perkins scored 10 of her 30 points in the final 1:37 of regulation to rally the Sky and force overtime. Candice Dupree had 28 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago.

Bird leads Seattle past Indiana 78-70 -- The AP reports: Sue Bird had 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals, and jump-started Seattle’s fourth-quarter surge in a 78-70 victory over the Indiana Fever... Tammy Sutton-Brown led Indiana with 14 points, as the Fever gained a spark in the third quarter from Catchings, who didn’t play in the first half as she continues to recover from a right Achilles’ tendon tear last season.

Asjha Jones leads Sun to 72-56 win over Monarchs -- The AP reports: Asjha Jones had 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots to lead the Connecticut Sun to a 72-56 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs on Friday night. Lindsey Whalen added nine points, six rebounds and five assists for the Sun (10-3), who completed a five-game road trip with a 3-2 record... Rebbekah Brunson had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Monarchs (5-6), who have lost their last three home games.

Wauters, Young lead Silver Stars to 77-75 victory -- The AP reports: Ann Wauters had 21 points and Sophia Young added 20 to lead San Antonio to a 77-75 victory over the Sparks on Friday night, the Silver Stars’ fifth straight win. Becky Hammon added 19 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Silver Stars... But Candace Parker, who finished with 27 points and nine rebounds, keyed a furious comeback by the Sparks, who had won four straight.

Beard leads Mystics past Dream 72-61 -- The AP reports: Alana Beard scored 18 points—all in the second half—to lead the Washington Mystics to their third straight victory, 72-61 over the winless Atlanta Dream on Friday night. Monique Currie added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Mystics (5-7), who used an 8-1 run at the start of the fourth quarter to pull away from the expansion Dream (0-12). Atlanta is one loss from tying Detroit in 2002 and Chicago in 2006 for the worst losing streak in WNBA history.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 20

The AP reports: With Alexis Hornbuckle, the Detroit Shock knew they had one talented rookie on their roster. They’re starting to discover that she’s not alone. The Shock, who got a big game from rookie Tasha Humphrey in their latest win, look to remain unbeaten at home on Friday when they face the Minnesota Lynx. Hornbuckle was the No. 4 overall pick in the draft out of the University of Tennessee, where she had just won a national championship.

The AP reports: The Seattle Storm have been in a season-long slump on the road, but they don’t expect to struggle when playing at KeyArena. Seattle will try to end a three-game slide and bounce back from its first home loss since July when it hosts the Indiana Fever on Friday night. The Storm (7-6) won their first road game this year, but have dropped five straight away from home since. Winning in Seattle, though, hadn’t been a problem until recently.

The AP reports: After a slow start, the Phoenix Mercury believe they are turning things around. The defending WNBA champions host the stumbling Chicago Sky on Friday, looking to win back-to-back games for the second time this month. The Mercury (3-6) went into their last game on Wednesday averaging a league-leading 84.4 points, but they had lost their previous two after failing to score 80 in either of them. Phoenix bounced back, however, with their highest-scoring game of the season, a 102-81 victory over Eastern Conference-leading Connecticut.

The AP reports: Despite splitting the first four games of their road trip, the Connecticut Sun have been able to remain atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Sun will look to stay in first on Friday night when they wrap up the swing against the Sacramento Monarchs, who will try to avoid their third straight loss at Arco Arena. Connecticut (9-3) has the most wins in the league, and leads Detroit by one-half game in the East. The Sun and Shock will meet in a home-and-home series starting Tuesday in Connecticut.

The AP reports: When the Atlanta Dream traveled to Washington last month, they left with a loss, but also with some optimism that their first win as a franchise might come soon. Seven more defeats later, they’ll still be looking for that elusive first victory when they visit the Mystics on Friday night. The Dream (0-11) lost the first three games of their inaugural season by an average of 21.0 points, but their fourth game was an 80-74 defeat in Washington in which they cut a nine-point deficit to one with three minutes left.

The AP reports: A year ago, no team in the WNBA was worse than the Los Angeles Sparks. So far in 2008, none has been better. In a matchup of the Western Conference’s top two teams each looking for their fifth straight win, league-leading Los Angeles on Friday night will meet the San Antonio Silver Stars, who are undefeated at home. With Lisa Leslie back from pregnancy leave, and No. 1 pick Candace Parker nearly averaging a double-double, Los Angeles (8-2) looks nothing like the team that won only 10 games in 2007 to tie Minnesota for the league low.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Catchings helps lift Fever past Liberty, 83-69 -- The AP reports: Tamika Catchings was back to her old tricks, doing the little things that has made her one of the WNBA’s most versatile players. The Indiana forward had 11 points, five rebounds and three steals, and the Fever beat New York 83-69 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win against the Liberty... Katie Douglas had 16 points and eight rebounds, Tan White scored 11 and Tammy Sutton-Brown chipped in 10 for the Fever (6-4), who won their 10th consecutive regular-season home game against the Liberty... Janel McCarville had 23 points and Shameka Christon scored 16 for the Liberty (5-5), who had won four of five games after a 1-3 start.

Taurasi scores 32 points, Mercury cruise past Sun -- The AP reports: Diana Taurasi scored 32 points to lead the last-place Phoenix Mercury to a 102-81 victory over Eastern Conference-leading Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night... Asjha Jones scored 18 points to lead Connecticut, which missed 19 of 26 shots in the second half. Cappie Pondexter added 22 points and nine rebounds for the defending champion Mercury (3-6), who have won three of five after starting the season 0-4

Leslie leads Sparks to fourth straight win -- The AP reports: Lisa Leslie scored 21 points and DeLisha Milton-Jones had 15 to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to an 80-67 victory over the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night. Candace Parker added 14 points, Sidney Spencer had 13, and Marie Ferdinand-Harris 11 for the Sparks (8-2), who have won four straight and six of seven. Kiesha Brown grabbed a career-best nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Leslie, who shot 10-for-15 from the field, also had seven rebounds... Kia Perkins scored 18 points for the Sky (3-6), losers of five of seven.

Hammon, Wauters lead Silver Stars past Dream -- The AP reports: Becky Hammon had 25 points and a season-high nine assists, Ann Wauters added 18 points and 14 rebounds, and the Silver Stars beat the winless Atlanta Dream 81-66 Wednesday night... Stacey Lovelace led Atlanta (0-11) with 18 points, while Tamera Young had nine points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Betty Lennox, who scored in double figures in nine of the first 10 games, also had nine points for the Dream... Sophia Young scored 18 points, while Helen Darling finished with seven assists for the Silver Stars.

Mystics defeat Comets 67-63 -- The AP reports: Alana Beard scored 23 points and the Washington Mystics rallied for a 67-63 victory over the Houston Comets on Wednesday night. Washington (4-7) opened the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run to tie the score at 55 on Nikki Blue’s 3-pointer with 6:24 to go. After Sancho Lyttle’s basket moved the Comets back ahead, the Mystics went on a 10-0 run capped by a 3 from Monique Currie with 1:58 remaining to take an eight-point lead... Maiga-Ba scored 15 points to lead the Comets, and Thompson added 12.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

The AP reports: After snapping an eight-game road losing streak, the San Antonio Silver Stars hope it won’t take nearly as long to win away from home again. Facing the winless Atlanta Dream on Wednesday, San Antonio appears in good position to make it two straight road victories. The Silver Stars (6-4) are tied for second place in the Western Conference despite losing their first four road games. They ended their eight-game road skid with a 70-60 win over Indiana on Sunday - their first victory away from the AT&T Center since Aug. 14.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 17

Comets defeat winless Dream 88-79 -- The AP reports: Michelle Snow had a season-high 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Houston Comets to an 88-79 win over the winless Atlanta Dream on Monday night. Atlanta (0-10), still looking for the first win in franchise history, became the third team in WNBA history to start a season with 10 straight losses. The Detroit Shock lost its first 13 in 2003, and Houston lost a franchise-record 10 in a row to start last season. Snow had her first double-double of the season and Tina Thompson added 12 points and a season-high seven assists as the Comets (3-7) improved to 3-1 at home and won-back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Sun defeats Storm 74-67 -- The AP reports: Asijha Jones scored 15 points, Barbara Turner and Lindsay Whalen had 13 each, and the Connecticut Sun snapped Seattle’s 10-game home winning streak with a 74-67 win over the Storm on Monday night. Lauren Jackson led Seattle (7-6) with 26 points. Sue Bird had 13 points and five assists. The Storm, coming off two road losses, had won their first six home games this season and a record-tying 10 in a row over the last two years.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR MONDAY, JUNE 16

Silver Stars top Fever and Catchings 70-60 -- The AP reports: Sophia Young and the San Antonio Silver Stars didn’t feel bad to spoil Tamika Catchings’ season debut for the Indiana Fever. Ann Wauters had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Young scored 18 and Vickie Johnson added nine points and 10 rebounds for the Silver Stars (6-4), who won their third straight and defeated Indiana for the second time in five days... Katie Douglas scored 17 and Ebony Hoffman added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana (5-4), which played without center Tammy Sutton-Brown (Achilles’ tendinitis).


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 15

Parker sparks Sparks past Monarchs -- The AP reports: Tired from an overtime game the previous night and an early morning flight, the Los Angeles Sparks needed a half to wake up against the Sacramento Monarchs. Candace Parker had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Sparks, who rallied for a 74-66 win over the Sacramento Monarchs on Saturday night... Rebekkah Brunson scored 16 points and had eight rebounds for Sacramento, which had its three-game winning streak snapped. Nicole Powell had 13 points and Kara Lawson scored nine for the Monarchs, who didn’t have a field goal in the third quarter and shot 6-of-33 in the second half.

Kraayeveld, Christon help Liberty hold off Lynx -- The AP reports: The New York Liberty didn’t panic after seeing their 16-point lead dwindle to one, and then turning the ball over with less than 11 seconds left. They just focused on making a strong defensive stand and came away with a victory. Cathrine Kraayeveld and Shameka Christon scored 13 points each to help the Liberty hold off the Minnesota Lynx 77-76 on Saturday night... Janel McCarville had 12 points and Tiffany Jackson added 11 to help New York (5-4) get its fourth win in five games to move above .500 for the first time this season. Kraayeveld, McCarville and Jackson also had seven rebounds each.

Tina Thompson scores 21 as Comets beat Storm 68-60 -- The AP reports: Tina Thompson scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Comets to a 68-60 win over the Seattle Storm on Saturday night in Sheryl Swoopes’ return to Houston. Shannon Johnson added 12 points, and Michelle Snow grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds for the Comets (2-7), who outrebounded Seattle 46-30. Lauren Jackson led the way for Seattle (7-5) with 18 points. Tanisha Wright added 14 points for the Storm, who

Shock beat Mercury, 89-79 -- The AP reports: Rookie Tasha Humphrey scored a season-high 28 points to lead the Detroit Shock to an 89-79 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s championship series. The game was the first between the teams since the Mercury beat Detroit in game five of the finals Sept. 16 to win the WNBA title... Cappie Pondexter led the Mercury with 28 points, and Le’coe Willingham added 17.


WNBA BASKETBALL NEWS FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 14

Sparks top Sun 98-93 in overtime -- The AP reports: Sidney Spencer sank a 3-pointer with 1:18 left in overtime and Kiesha Brown added four free throws and a steal in the closing seconds to give the Los Angeles Sparks a 98-93 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night. Brown tied her career high with 11 assists, Lisa Leslie had 22 points and 10 rebounds, DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 20 points and Marie Ferdinand-Harris added a season-high 19 for the Sparks (6-2), who have won four of five... Lindsay Whalen had 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals to lead the Sun (8-2), whose five-game winning streak ended. Asjha Jones and Tamika Whitmore added 18 points apiece.

Mitchell coming up big for Liberty -- The AP reports: Leilani Mitchell might soon help New York Liberty fans forget about Becky Hammon. Barely a month into her rookie season, it may be too early to compare Mitchell with the 10th-year veteran Hammon—who finished second in the MVP voting with San Antonio in 2007. However, Mitchell has already shown glimpses of her potential. With regular starter Loree Moore sidelined due to back spasms, Mitchell started three straight games for the Liberty. She scored 18 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field, including three 3-pointers, and had seven assists in New York’s win over Houston on June 6. In the next two games, she totaled four points on 1-for-5 shooting but has had 13 assists—including a team season-high eight against Sacramento.

Beard scores 22 to lead Mystics past Sky 64-57 -- The AP reports: Alana Beard scored 13 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter and the Washington Mystics snapped a five-game losing streak with a 64-57 win over the Chicago Sky on Friday night. The Mystics (3-7) earned their first road victory of the season and won for the first time since May 27... Chicago (3-5) lost its second straight and for the fourth time in six games. Jia Perkins led the Sky with 17 points. Candice Dupree added 11 and Chasity Melvin had 10.

Silver Stars rally to beat Storm 74-69 -- The AP reports: Becky Hammon scored 17 points, including an uncontested layup with 1:12 left, and the San Antonio Silver Stars rallied from a 12-point deficit to beat the Seattle Storm 74-69 on Friday night... Bird, who led Seattle (7-4) with 21 points, made a free throw to make it a two-point game. She fouled Vickie Johnson to stop the clock, but Johnson made both free throws to give the Silver Stars a 73-69 edge.

Tan White’s 21 lead Fever past Dream -- The AP reports: The expansion Atlanta Dream’s search for their first win has opponents playing hard to avoid becoming the franchise’s initial victim. “Of course we didn’t want to become the first team to lose to them,” Tan White said after she scored a season-high 21 points and led the Indiana Fever to a 76-67 win over the Dream on Friday night. Atlanta is 0-9, the third-longest winless streak to open a WNBA season. The Houston Comets lost their first 10 games in 2007, and the Detroit Shock started 0-13 in 2002.


WNBA Basketball News for Thu, June 12

Storm beat Mercury 83-77 -- The AP reports: Coming off an injury-filled season, Storm forward Sheryl Swoopes is starting to find her old form. Swoopes scored a season-high 17 points to help Seattle to an 83-77 victory on Wednesday night... Lauren Jackson, Swin Cash and Swoopes combined for 54 points. Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 37 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead Phoenix (2-5). The Mercury had won two consecutive games after opening with four losses in a row.

Sparks upend Shock 80-73 -- The AP reports: Lisa Leslie had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to an 80-73 victory over the Detroit Shock on Wednesday night. DeLisha Milton-Jones and Kiesha Brown, making her first professional start, added 12 points apiece for the Sparks (5-2), who moved within one game of first-place Minnesota in the Western Conference... Katie Smith scored 16 points, Deanna Nolan added 14 points and Plenette Pierson had 11 points and a team-record six blocks for the Shock (7-3), who lost their second consecutive game after winning seven of their first eight.

Monarchs edge Mystics for 79-76 win -- The AP reports: Nicole Powell scored a season-high 28 points and Kara Lawson added a season-high 22 as the Sacramento Monarchs held on for a 79-76 win over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night. Powell’s turnaround jumper from the right baseline with 1:18 remaining gave the Monarchs (4-4) the lead for good at 77-75... Taj McWilliams-Franklin shot 10-of-11 and led the Mystics with 23 points while Beard had 17 points and a game-high seven assists.

Silver Stars stop Fever 64-53 -- The AP reports: The San Antonio Silver Stars were looking for some offensive energy. And they got it in the return of one of their best players. Sophia Young returned to the starting lineup and scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 64-53 win over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday night... Katie Douglas and Tan White both had 13 to lead the Fever (4-3). Ebony Hoffman added nine rebounds in Indiana’s first loss in San Antonio.

McCarville scores 25 in Liberty win -- The AP reports: Janel McCarville’s consistent offense and late defensive pressure were too much for the Atlanta Dream. McCarville scored 25 points and had seven assists to help the New York Liberty beat Atlanta 81-77 on Wednesday night, keeping the expansion Dream winless... Betty Lennox scored 28 points to lead Atlanta, which dropped to 0-5 at home, 0-8 overall. She hit a 3-pointer with 3:26 remaining in the third that started an 18-6 run for the Dream.


WNBA Basketball News for Wed, June 11

Whalen scores 14 to lead Sun to 75-66 win at Minnesota -- The AP reports: Lindsay Whalen made a successful return to her home state, scoring 14 points to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 75-66 Tuesday night. Whalen, who led the University of Minnesota to its first Final Four appearance in 2004 and is from nearby Hutchinson, added eight rebounds and six assists. Asjha Jones led the Sun (8-1) with 20 points... Tamika Whitmore had her second double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds and Barbara Turner had 18 as Connecticut matched the best start in franchise history. Rookie guard Candice Wiggins tied her career-high with 22 points for Minnesota (6-2). Seimone Augustus scored 11 and Nicole Ohlde added 10 for the Lynx, who lost for the first time at home.