Houston Is Last Unbeaten Team After 69-55 Win

Cynthia Cooper scored 22 points to help the two-time defending champion Houston Comets defeat the expansion Minnesota Lynx, 69-55, before 11,056 in a matchup of the WNBA’s last unbeaten teams at Minneapolis.

After blowout victories over Detroit and Utah, the Lynx (2-1) finally played like an expansion team against the Comets (4-0).

Houston opened the second half with a 12-2 run for a 40-30 lead.

Other Games

Marlies Askamp had career highs of 17 points and 15 rebounds and Phoenix defeated Cleveland, 76-67, before 13,024 at Phoenix for its first victory. Phoenix (1-2) lost a home-and-home series with Sacramento to open the season. Cleveland is 0-5. . . . Natalie Williams scored 26 points and Margo Dydek shut down Yolanda Griffith late as Utah defeated Sacramento, 85-75, before 6,147 at Salt Lake City. With childhood hero Karl Malone watching from courtside, Williams muscled to a season high in points and added eight rebounds for the Starzz (2-2). Griffith finished with 28 points and 19 rebounds for the Monarchs (3-2), but didn’t have a field goal in the last 10:45 as Dydek blocked three shots. . . . Shannon Johnson had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to lead Orlando to a 73-68 victory over Washington before 10,218 at Orlando, Fla. Washington’s Nikki McCray scored with 16 seconds remaining to cut Orlando’s lead to 71-68, but Orlando (2-3) held on. Chamique Holdsclaw led the Mystics (1-4) with 23 points and 10 rebounds.