Mercury Rises to End Losing Streak

Marlies Askamp scored a career-high 23 points Monday as the Phoenix Mercury ended a losing streak at six games with an 80-66 victory over the Utah Starzz at Salt Lake City.

With Jennifer Gillon, the Mercury’s leading scorer at 16.4 points a game, held to four points, Askamp joined Clarissa Davis-Wrightsill, who had 18, to pick up the slack for Phoenix.

The Mercury (4-10) used a 12-0 run to take a 26-11 advantage with 6:01 to play in the half and led, 38-19, at halftime, getting 10 points from Askamp and nine from Davis-Wrightsill.

Utah (5-8) opened the second half with a 12-0 run as Phoenix missed its first six shots. That sliced the Mercury’s lead to 42-37 with 12:56 to play.

But the Mercury responded with a 21-5 run to push the score to 63-42 with 6:23 to play. The lead reached 22 points twice as the Starzz suffered their second consecutive loss.

Washington 74, Charlotte 71--Nikki McCray scored 26 points at Washington, giving the Mystics consecutive wins for the first time in their two-year history.

Washington’s fourth victory in seven games spoiled the debut of the Sting’s Dan Hughes, named interim coach Sunday after the firing of Marynell Meadors.

Vicki Bullett and Andrea Stinson scored 19 points apiece for Charlotte (5-8), which matched a season high with its third consecutive loss.

The Mystics (5-9) saw a 19-point, second-half lead cut to 72-71 on Stephanie McCarty’s three-point basket with 6.6 seconds left. But Chamique Holdsclaw made two free throws to extend the lead before McCarty’s potential game-tying three-pointer was blocked by Muriel Page with two seconds left.

Detroit 76, Orlando 67--Sandy Brondello scored 22 points and Val Whiting grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Shock (6-8) at Orlando.

Astou Ndiaye scored 14 points and Claudia Maria Das Neves had 11 for Detroit (7-6). The Shock shot only 39%, but was six of 11 on three-pointers.

Orlando had four starters in double figures. Andrea Congreaves and Taj McWilliams scored 14 points each, and Nykesha Sales and Shannon Johnson each had 11.

Cleveland 67, Minnesota 55--Merlakia Jones scored 21 points at Cleveland as the Rockers won their second consecutive game.

Cleveland (4-12) made 56% of its shots in the first half and outrebounded Minnesota, 20-12. The Lynx (7-6) trailed 38-21 at halftime.