Comets top Sparks in overtime, 75-72

HOUSTON -- Michelle Snow scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Houston Comets to a 75-72 overtime win over the Sparks on Saturday night.

The Sparks’ Lisa Leslie forced overtime when she tied it at 65 on a long three-point shot with six seconds left in regulation. Her 25-footer erased a three-point lead Houston had after Tamecka Dixon made two free throws with 22 seconds left.

Snow made seven of her 17 shots from the field, including the decisive free throws in overtime, as the Comets (11-12) won their second straight after losing three in a row.

Dixon scored 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 made five of nine shots and was the only other Comets player in double figures.

Candace Parker and Leslie each scored 16 points for the Sparks (13-10), who have lost five in a row on the road, falling to 5-6 away from home.

Parker made seven of her 14 shots, but she was double-teamed all night after scoring 40 in an 82-74 win over the Comets at Los Angeles on July 9.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris scored 15 points for the Sparks, who have lost four of five overall and are 3-7 since June 24.

Los Angeles jumped out to a 9-3 lead on a Parker layup, but the Comets stormed back with a 10-0 run to take a 13-9 lead with 3:40 left in the opening period.

The Comets’ Tina Thompson missed her first six shots, but Maiga-Ba scored six straight points during the run to make up the difference.

Houston took its biggest lead in the first half with 3:57 left to play when Erica White made one of two free throws to give the Comets a 34-22 edge.

Snow scored 11 points in the first 20 minutes to lead all scorers. DeLisha Milton-Jones led the Sparks with eight.