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  Thursday, Jun. 8 10:00pm ET
Starbird scored 17 off bench for Starzz
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Kate Starbird scored 17 points and Natalie Williams added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Utah Starzz beat the Portland Fire 81-72 Thursday night.

Sylvia Crawley had 25 points and six rebounds for the Fire (1-3), which played catchup all night and lost their second straight.

Utah (3-2) took a 12-point lead late in the second half as Starbird scored 10 points down the stretch. The Starzz looked to have the game wrapped up early, but Portland cut the lead to seven with 2:28 left when Crawley hit a turnaround jumper to cap a 6-0 run.

Starbird, however, ended Utah's 2-minute, 12-second scoring drought with a pair of free throws. The Fire never got closer than seven the rest of the way.

Portland cut Utah's nine-point halftime lead to five with 10:38 left as Alisa Burras scored on a layup. Burras then rebounded Williams' miss to start a fast break that ended with Lynn Pride hitting a pair of free throws that cut the lead to 54-49.

But the Fire committed three consecutive turnovers that resulted in four points, and Utah went on a 16-7 run to increase its lead to 12.

Williams scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the first half as the Starzz took a 30-18 lead. During the stretch, the Fire went 3:46 without a basket as the Starzz went on a 15-6 run.

The Fire tightened its defense and held the Starzz without a field goal for 9:39. Portland went on a 12-4 run before Utah's Stacy Frese hit a 3-pointer with 54 seconds left and followed with two free throws to increase the lead to 39-30 at the half.
 


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RECAPS
Washington 73
Miami 51

Minnesota 71
Orlando 57

Utah 81
Portland 72