Williams Resigns as Coach at Utah

Just hours after Fred Williams resigned as coach, the Utah Starzz snapped a three-game losing streak with a 73-69 victory over Cleveland Rockers Friday night at Salt Lake City.

Before 6,006 at the Delta Center, Natalie Williams had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jennifer Azzi added 15 points as new Coach Candi Harvey guided Utah (6-8) to its first home victory since June 23.

Fred Williams announced his resignation at a news conference two hours before Friday’s game, saying only that it was “time for a change.” He said he was not pressured to quit and that it was his decision to leave the team.

“I’ve been thinking about this the past few days, and then waking up this morning, I felt that it was time to step aside,” said Williams, who led the Starzz to an 18-14 record last year, the team’s first winning season. “It was time to look at other avenues and kind of walk away right now.”

Williams, who also coached the USC women’s team from 1995-97, took over as Utah’s coach in June 1999 after working as an assistant under Frank Layden.

Sacramento 75, Orlando 68--Lady Hardmon scored 11 of her season-high 13 points in the second half to lead the Monarchs to their fifth consecutive victory in front of 11,068 at Orlando, Fla.

La’Keshia Frett added 11 points for the Monarchs (10-6), who improved to 4-0 under Coach Maura McHugh, who took over when Sonny Allen resigned June 25.

Sacramento made 27 of 52 shots from the field for 51.9%. Nykesha Sales had 16 points for Orlando (4-10), which lost its fourth in a row.

Houston 79, Indiana 64--Janeth Arcain scored 17 points and Amanda Lassiter and Tina Thompson each added 15 as the Comets defeated the Fever before 10,513 at Houston.

Lassiter hit her first six shots on the way to her season-high scoring total. Arcain scored all of her points in the first half.

Alicia Thompson and Angie Braziel each scored 10 points for Indiana (5-9).

New York 70, Minnesota 57--Tari Phillips scored 20 points at Minneapolis as the Liberty extended the Lynx’s losing streak to four games before 7,031.

Crystal Robinson scored 17 points and Becky Hammon added 14 for the Liberty (11-5), which improved to 25-0 in regular-season games when scoring 70 or more points.

Portland 69, Washington 58--Jackie Stiles scored 21 points as the Fire snapped a two-game losing streak with a victory over the Mystics in front of 8,324 at Portland, Ore.

Charlotte 67, Detroit 50--Dawn Staley scored 17 points and Tonya Edwards added 16 as the Sting extended its winning streak to five games before 5,780 at Auburn Hills, Mich.