Catchings leads Fever to win over Storm

Tamika Catchings had 20 points and eight rebounds, and the Indiana Fever withstood a late rally to defeat the Seattle Storm 74-62 on Sunday.

Catchings, the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game, was only 6 of 18 from the field. She also had five assists.

Indiana snapped a two-game losing streak. Seattle, which had won three straight games since rookie Barbara Turner entered the starting lineup, rallied from a 31-point deficit to make it an eight-point game with a minute to go. But the Storm couldn’t get any closer.

Seattle’s Lauren Jackson scored 26 seconds into the game and didn’t make a field goal for the next 26 minutes. She finished with 19 points and had six rebounds – none in the first half.

Mercury 94, Liberty 88 (OT): Diana Taurasi scored a career-high 36 points and rookie Cappie Pondexter added 22 as visiting Phoenix beat New York in overtime, handing the Liberty their season-high fifth straight loss.

Taurasi tied it at 80 on a three-point play with 57 seconds left in regulation and sealed the win with a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left in overtime.

Mystics 89, Sky 83: Nakia Sanford scored a career-high 25 points and host Washington snapped a two-game losing streak by beating Chicago.

Chasity Melvin scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds for Washington in its first game against the expansion Sky.

Lynx 85, Silver Stars 80: Minnesota rookie Seimone Augustus tied a career high with 32 points as the Lynx snapped visiting San Antonio’s four-game winning streak.

Shock 66, Comets 60: Ruth Riley made her first seven shots and finished with 16 points to lead visiting Detroit past Houston.

Monarchs 70, Sting 61: Kara Lawson scored 16 points and Nicole Powell had 12 in Sacramento’s victory over visiting Charlotte.