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Houston scores 26, Lynx beat Silver Stars 83-76

Jul 13, 2009 - 2:03 AM SAN ANTONIO(AP) -- Charde Houston scored a career-high 26 points and Roneeka Hodges added 21 to lead the Minnesota Lynx to a 83-76 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars on Sunday night.

Houston grabbed eight rebounds and was 10-of-12 from the floor. Hodges made 7 of 10 shots for the Lynx (9-5), who shot 53 percent and bounced back from a 16-point home loss to the Silver Stars on Friday.

Houston was 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and Hodges went 4-of-6 - falling one point shy of her career high. Minnesota also got 12 points and eight rebounds from Nicky Anosike.

"The 3-pointer is something I've added to my game, so if I'm open I shoot it," Houston said. "I'd say yes (that's the best I've shot the 3-pointer). I was like, 'That went in. Another one went in. The next one after that and the next one after that,' so I was excited."

Becky Hammon scored 26 points and Sophia Young added 18 for the Silver Stars (5-6).

San Antonio, the defending Western Conference champion, failed for the fourth time to get over the .500 mark this season.

"I think they had five people in double figures the last game (on Friday night)," Lynx coach Jennifer Gillom said. "We try to contain Hammon. We try to contain Sophia Young, but just don't let the others get started. I was really impressed with the overall process the whole game. We knew we blew it at home and we had to make up for that lack of focus."

Minnesota led by 17 less than a minute into the fourth quarter and had a 14-point edge with 4:13 to go when Houston made a baseline jumper at the shot-clock buzzer.

San Antonio cut the Lynx's lead to five points when Hammon sank a 3-pointer with less than one minute remaining.

But Houston and Hodges each made a pair of free throws to give the Lynx a nine-point lead with 23 seconds left.

The Lynx led by as many as 12 in the first half after Houston and Hodges were a combined 10-of-12 - including 6-of-7 from 3-point range - for 26 points.

"They made shots," Hammon said. "They came in with a tougher mentality. We had some people in their faces a couple of times. They just made some shots."

By the end of the third quarter, Houston and Hodges combined to make 15 of 19 shots, including 8 of 10 from behind the arc, for 39 points.

"Oh, my gosh, I did not (see that coming)," Gillom said. "We go when Charde goes. That's why Roneeka (Hodges) was open because Charde was absorbing most of the defense."

Minnesota was ahead by one at the end of the first quarter after Houston scored eight of Minnesota's first 12 points, including a pair of 3s. Houston was 3-of-4 from the floor, and the rest of the team went 2-for-10.