Liberty Free Throws Make the Difference

Crystal Robinson made four free throws in the final 11.3 seconds as the visiting New York Liberty defeated Orlando, 55-51, Friday night in front of 8,864 to move within a game of the first-place Miracle in the Eastern Conference.

After Robinson hit two free throws to put New York ahead 53-48, the Liberty fouled Adrienne Johnson on a three-point attempt and she made all three free throws to pull Orlando within two points with 10.1 seconds remaining.

Robinson was intentionally fouled again and hit two more free throws with 9.5 seconds left. Johnson’s last-second three-point shot fell short as New York won its fifth in a row.

Vickie Johnson led New York (12-9) with 15 points and Robinson and Tari Phillips had 11 each. Phillips also had seven rebounds.

Adrienne Johnson had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando (13-8), which shot 33.3%. Shannon Johnson had 10 points and seven rebounds, but no other Orlando player reached double figures in scoring.

Adrienne Johnson’s three-pointer with 46.9 seconds remaining cut New York’s lead to 51-48. New York turned the ball over on its next possession but the Miracle missed consecutive three-point shots.

Detroit 80, Miami 50--Wendy Palmer scored 15 points, and Anna DeForge added a career-high 13 as the Shock routed the Sol in front of 5,398 at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Detroit took the lead with a 10-1 run late in the first half, and led 32-26 at halftime. The Shock pulled away early in the second half, using an 8-0 run to take a 51-37 with 9:49 to play.

Dominique Canty and Oksana Zakaluzhnaya had 10 points each for Detroit (10-10). All 11 Shock players scored, as starting power forward Astou Ndiaye-Diatta, who missed all nine field goal attempts, hit a free throw in the final three minutes.

Katrina Colleton led Miami (7-14) with 11 points.

Indiana 64, Seattle 45--Reserve Stephanie McCarty scored 16 points as Indiana snapped its eight-game home losing streak in front of 10,920.

McCarty had eight points during a 22-8 run in the second half as the Fever (5-14) won at home for the first time since an 80-59 victory over Miami on June 5.

McCarty made four of six shots from the field--including three of four three-point shots. Indiana, the league’s best three-point shooting team, made seven of 18 from behind the arc. Backup center Jurgita Streimikyte added 13 points and Monica Maxwell had nine rebounds for the Fever.

Robin Threatt scored 13 points and Quacy Barnes added 12 for Seattle (3-18), which lost its fifth straight.

Portland 65, Minnesota 54--Sylvia Crawley had 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Fire defeated the Lynx in front of 8,155 at Portland, Ore.

Stacey Thomas had nine points, six rebounds and a career-high eight assists for Portland (7-13), which held Katie Smith, the league’s second-leading scorer, to just 10 points on four-of-13 shooting.

Betty Lennox added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Lynx (10-10), who lost their fifth in a row.

The Fire led, 30-28, at halftime, but didn’t score in the first 2:56 of the second half. With the score tied at 34, Thomas made a layup with 16:08 remaining to start a 7-0 run and the Fire never trailed again.

Utah 87, Phoenix 84--Kori Hlede scored 13 of her 20 points in the second half as the Starzz rallied from a four-point deficit in the final 50.5 seconds to defeat the Mercury in front of 6,984 at Salt Lake City.

Adrienne Goodson’s reverse layup gave Utah (11-10) an 85-84 lead with 24.1 seconds remaining, and Natalie Williams made two free throws to seal the victory.

Phoenix forward Brandy Reed had 25 points, and Jennifer Gillom added 20--including 16 in the second half.

Utah led 40-38 at halftime, and led by as many as eight in the second half. However, Gillom rallied the Mercury (13-7) to an 84-80 lead in the final minute.