Monarchs pull away from Sun

Yolanda Griffith scored 21 points Saturday, leading the Sacramento Monarchs over the Connecticut Sun 69-63 in a rematch of last year's WNBA finals in Sacramento, Calif.

Sacramento took the lead for good late in the fourth quarter. After the Sun (14-6) pulled within 62-60 on Taj McWilliams-Franklin's follow shot, Griffith made a 12-footer from the baseline for a four-point Sacramento lead with 23 seconds left.

Following a Sun turnover, Hamchetou Maiga-Ba made two free throws with 20 seconds remaining to seal the victory for Sacramento (13-8), which has won four straight and six of seven.

McWilliams-Franklin had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Sun. All-Star MVP Katie Douglas shot 4-for-17 and finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

STING 75, FEVER 65: At Charlotte, N.C., Tangela Smith scored 17 points as Charlotte posted consecutive wins for the first time this season.

Tammy Sutton-Brown added 13 points and nine rebounds and Kelly Mazzante scored 10 points for the Sting (5-16), which last won two straight last Aug. 23-25.

Tamika Catchings and Tamika Whitmore had 17 points apiece for the Fever (13-8), which shot 32 percent and lost for the second time in three meetings with the Sting. Third-place Indiana remained 1 1/2 games behind first-place Connecticut in the Eastern Conference.