Comets Beat Storm to Tie Series

Sheryl Swoopes converted two defensive stands by Houston into four points in the final three minutes, and the Comets rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat the Seattle Storm, 67-64, on Thursday in Seattle and tie their best-of-three first-round series at 1-1.

Swoopes scored 20 points for the Comets, 14 in the second half.

Betty Lennox led Seattle with 16 points. Lauren Jackson, nursing a sprained back, added 14.

The Comets trailed, 47-37, with 15:30 left after consecutive three-pointers by Iziane Castro Marques and Sue Bird.

The Storm struggled from there, scoring only eight points over the next eight minutes.

The Comets took a 57-55 lead with 6:14 left on a reverse layup by Janeth Arcain.

Indiana 58, New York 50 -- Tamika Catchings finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds and Natalie Williams had 13 points and 10 rebounds at home to lead the Fever to a first-round sweep.

The Fever advances to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time. Becky Hammon scored 13 points for the Liberty, which eliminated Indiana in three games in the Fever’s only other playoff appearance in 2002.

The Fever led by as many as 14 points in the first half and withstood a late rally, led by Liberty center La’Keshia Frett, who finished with 13 points.

The Liberty outscored the Fever, 11-2, for its first lead at 37-35 with 7:50 left.

But the Fever outscored New York, 9-5, over the last two minutes, all on free throws.