Dixon Pours In 20 Points As Sparks Crown Monarchs

Temecka Dixon had 20 points and eight rebounds as the visiting Los Angeles Sparks routed the Sacramento Monarchs 84-62 Sunday night in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Dixon had 16 points in the second half to help the Sparks (7-10) pull away from the Monarchs (5-10), who have lost five straight and seven of eight.

Monarchs star Ruthie Bolton-Holifield returned to play after missing five games because of a left knee injury. The WNBA’s leading scorer at the time of the injury, Bolton-Holifield finished with 16 points, but was only 6-for-21 from the field. She missed 13 of her first 16 attempts.

Penny Toler added 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Sparks and Lisa Leslie had 14 points and nine rebounds. Pam McGee also had 16 points for the Monarchs.

Los Angeles outrebounded Sacramento 50-33.

Sparks 84, Monarchs 62

At Sacramento, Calif.

Los Angeles (84) - Haixia 4-7 2-3 10, Colleton 3-6 1-2 7, Leslie 5-10 3-3 14, Dixon 8-9 3-3 20, Toler 6-14 2-2 14, Charles 2-4 0-0 4, Mabika 1-9 3-4 5, Wideman 0-2 0-0 0, Burgess 1-2 1-2 3, Burge 3-7 1-3 7. Totals 33-70 16-22 84.

Sacramento (62) - Gordon 3-13 3-3 9, Byears 3-18 1-2 7, McGee 7-12 2-4 16, Bolton-Holifield 6-21 4-4 16, Tremitiere 2-7 5-6 9, Savasta 0-2 2-2 2, Abraham 1-4 1-3 3, Hagiwara 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-77 18-24 62.

Los Angeles 36 48 - 84

Sacramento 26 36 - 62

3-Point goals-Los Angeles 2-6 (Dixon 1-1, Leslie 1-2, Toler 0-1, Mabika 0-2), Sacramento 0-10 (Gordon 0-1, Savasta 0-2, Bolton-Holifield 0-7). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Los Angeles 56 (Leslie 9), Sacramento 48 (McGee, Bolton-Holifield 8). Assists-Los Angeles 23 (Toler 9), Sacramento 19 (McGee 5). Total fouls-Los Angeles 22, Sacramento 19. A-8,629.