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BOX SCORE
HOUSTON (AP) -- After a close game in Utah over the weekend,
Sheryl Swoopes made sure the Houston Comets were in control early.
Swoopes scored Houston's first nine points, finishing with 28
points and a season-high 10 rebounds, her first double-double of
the year, as the Comets defeated the Starzz 107-85 Monday night.
|  | | Utah's Dalma Ivanyi, left, might have the position, but Houston's Sheryl Swoopes has the reach on this loose ball. |
Swoopes, who shot 10-for-17 from the field, including 3-for-4
from 3-point range, also had five steals as Western
Conference-leading Houston improved to a league-best 7-1. The
Comets are three-time defending WNBA champions.
"I think we wanted to make a statement ... to our fans,
especially since the last game (a two-point victory)," Swoopes
said. "I think we had better team defense. Our approach was
different."
Cynthia Cooper added 24 points and six assists, and Tina
Thompson scored 17 points for the Comets, who scored 26 points off
17 Utah turnovers.
"It was a small statement," Cooper said. "Our fans deserved
it. We started playing tough defense. Utah's always tough. We
respect them here, we respect them there. But the bottom line is to
get the W. We got it there and we got it here."
Houston built a 52-34 halftime lead, its most points in the
first half this season. The 107 points were the most by the Comets
at Compaq Center.
Adrienne Goodson led the Starzz (3-4) with 24 points, and
leading scorer Natalie Williams was held to four points on 1-for-8
shooting. Korie Hlede added 16 points and four assists before
fouling out.
"We came out in the first half flat and that put us in the hole
early," Goodson said. "We had too many turnovers and we were just
not ready to play. We have come out flat in the last two games and
it has really hurt us. I felt like we came out to play more in the
second half, but we just put ourselves in too much of a hole in the
first half."
The Comets announced at halftime that they will retire the No.
10 jersey of the late Kim Perrot, the point guard who died of
cancer last year, on July 29 during halftime of a game against the
Los Angeles Sparks at Compaq Center. It will be the first jersey
retired in WNBA history.
"Kim Perrot has always had a special place in my heart,"
Houston coach Van Chancellor said. "I don't think we'd enjoy the
success we've had without her."
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
RECAPS
Charlotte 78
Detroit 67
Houston 107
Utah 85
Cleveland 83
Indiana 70
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Sheryl Swoopes makes the steal and hits the 3-pointer.
avi: 1067 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Cynthia Cooper scores from all over the floor for the Houston Comets.
avi: 1138 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Van Chancellor says his team played well on both ends of the floor.
wav: 207 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
At halftime, an emotional Van Chancellor announces the retirement of Kim Perrot's jersey.
wav: 144 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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