Smith catches fire after first half to lead Lynx

Katie Smith scored 20 of her 23 points in the second half and overtime Wednesday to lead the Minnesota Lynx to a 58-50 win over the Houston Comets at Minneapolis.

Smith forced overtime with a running 8-foot jump shot from the baseline with 5.1 seconds left to tie the game at 50. Tiffani Johnson’s short baseline jumper rimmed out as time expired for Houston.

Smith scored six of Minnesota’s eight points in OT, and the Comets came up empty on all six possessions as the Lynx snapped a three-game losing streak.

Lucienne Berthieu led Houston with 11 points and Michelle Snow grabbed 15 rebounds for the Comets.

The Lynx shot 29.4 percent in the first half but rallied from an 11-point deficit with an 8-0 run.

Sun 78, Mystics 69: At Uncasville, Conn., Wendy Palmer totaled 13 points and eight rebounds, and Connecticut defeated visiting Washington for its fifth straight victory.

Nykesha Sales and Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 13 apiece for the Sun.

Katie Douglas added 11 points, and Lindsay Whalen 10 points and seven assists.