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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW YORK (AP) -- New York center Tari Phillips had two leg cramps
over the final minutes against the Houston Comets. Liberty coach
Richie Adubato had no intention of taking her out of the game.
|  | | Janeth Arcain grabs this rebound Sunday, but her Comets come up short in New York. |
Phillips finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and
two steals in Sunday's 69-64 victory over the WNBA's three-time
defending champions at Madison Square Garden before a sellout crowd
of 19,563.
"I had two cramps, in my quad and hamstring, and I was looking
at the bench for them to take me out. They thought I was asking for
the play," Phillips said, laughing.
The Liberty (14-10) were smiling after Crystal Robinson made two
free throws with 7.7 seconds left to seal the victory. New York,
which lost to Houston in the WNBA Finals last year, is the only
team in the Eastern Conference to beat the Comets this season.
"It's a great win for us," Adubato said. "We were able to get
one-on-one's with Tari and Tamika Whitmore in the middle, and that
led to quick baskets."
Sheryl Swoopes, who led Houston (21-4) with 18 points, made a
finger-roll layup with 9.3 seconds to bring the Comets within
67-64. Robinson then made her two free throws.
"For whatever reason, we're not playing the basketball we
should be playing this time in the season," said Swoopes, who was
held to four first-half points and finished 6-for-16 from the
field. "We can't seem to put two halves together."
Janeth Arcain, who had 12-first half points, finished with 16
and Cynthia Cooper had 14.
New York outscored the Comets 12-6 over the final four minutes,
with Phillips scoring five points. Phillips was 7-for-15 from the
field in her ninth double-double of the season.
The 6-foot-1 Phillips didn't play in the season-opening 84-68
loss to Houston because she had just been traded from Portland.
"Tari has been a major acquisition for this team," Houston
coach Van Chancellor said. "She's physical, tough and goes to the
boards. I wish she had never come here."
Becky Hammon, who also had 17 points, made one free throw to
give New York a 66-62 lead with 33 seconds remaining. Vickie
Johnson added 13 points.
After Swoopes made a free throw for a 58-57 lead, New York went
on a 6-0 run on two jumpers by Phillips and Whitmore's layup to
lead 63-58 with 2:26 left.
Swoopes fed Arcain for a layup with 43 seconds remaining to
trail 65-62.
It may have been Cooper's last regular-season game at the
Garden. Cooper said at midseason that she may retire.
"This is pretty much the last time that I'll play (here),"
Cooper said. "I don't have to make a decision for sure until May
of next year when training camp starts. That will be the time when
the decision will be made definite."
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ALSO SEE
WNBA Scoreboard
Unlike Houston, L.A. does not stub its toe
RECAPS
New York 69
Houston 64
Utah 69
Orlando 66
Minnesota 80
Portland 63
Los Angeles 73
Sacramento 68
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