Shock too much for Sun to handle

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — A 21-point run in the second half helped the Detroit Shock rout the Connecticut Sun 66-50 Tuesday night.

Swin Cash scored 13 points and Cheryl Ford added 11 as Detroit won for just the second time in five games to move a half-game ahead of Charlotte atop the Eastern Conference. Connecticut saw its three-game winning streak end.

Detroit improved to 3-0 against the Sun this season. The teams play for the final time on Aug. 5 at Connecticut.

When Detroit went on the 21-0 run, it held Connecticut scoreless for over 11 minutes. In all, the Sun missed 17 straight shots before Shannon Johnson made a layup with 5:24 to play.

Nykesha Sales led the Sun with 15 points, but no one else reached double figures.

LYNX 77, MONARCHS 59: In Minneapolis, Katie Smith scored 26 points, and Tamika Williams added 15 as the Minnesota Lynx got back to .500 with a 77-59 victory Tuesday night over the Sacramento Monarchs.

The win assured at least a split of the four-game series between the teams. Both are vying for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. They meet once more, Aug. 9 in Sacramento.

Smith and Williams were a combined 16 for 24 from the field. Sherri Sam added 16 points for the Lynx (8-8).

Yolanda Griffith led the Monarchs (7-11) with 17 points and 16 rebounds, but Sacramento shot just 40 percent — including three of 14 from behind the arc.

COMETS 60, FEVER 56: In Houston, Janeth Arcain scored 18 points, including the last five of the game, leading the Houston Comets to a 60-56 win over the Indiana Fever. Houston standout Sheryl Swoopes missed most of the first half with a concussion. She returned for the second half and helped the Comets win for the fifth time in the final game of a season-high six-game homestand.

Swoopes scored all of her 15 points in the second half as the Comets won their fourth consecutive game.