Comets Win Easily as Cooper Dazzles

Cynthia Cooper looked like a two-time most valuable player and the Houston Comets played like the WNBA’s only champions in a 93-73 rout Thursday of the Utah Starzz before 10,160 at Houston.

Cooper scored 23 of her season-high 30 points in the first half, when Houston (3-0) raced to a 53-34 lead. She had nine during an 18-8 run that closed the half.

“I was able to get some good looks because of the great picks I was receiving from Tina Thompson, Polina [Tzekova] and Monica Lamb,” she said. “They really worked to keep me open and because of that I got a lot of open looks.”

Sheryl Swoopes added 25 points.

The Comets outscored Utah, 17-2, in fastbreak points and forced 20 turnovers. Utah fell to 1-2.

Houston has won its three games by an average of nearly 20 points.

Natalie Williams gave fans a double-dose of MVPs, with the game’s only double-double--16 points and 16 rebounds. She was voted the MVP of the now-defunct ABL last year.

Sacramento 70, Cleveland 50--Kedra Holland-Corn scored 16 points and Yolanda Griffith added 12 and a franchise-high 19 rebounds as the Monarchs kept the Rockers winless before 5,833 at Sacramento.

The Rockers became the first non-expansion WNBA team to begin with four losses. The Detroit Shock opened their expansion campaign last season with four losses.

Sacramento (3-1) ran away with the game in the first half, scoring 20 consecutive points over nine minutes to grab a 25-13 lead with 3:40 remaining. Holland-Corn scored eight points in the spurt.

Cleveland went 9 1/2 minutes without a point and has lost its last five games dating to last year’s playoffs.

Detroit 79, Orlando 74--Sandy Brondello scored 17 of her 23 points in the second half and Jennifer Azzi scored the final nine as the Shock beat the Miracle in its home opener before 10,745 at Detroit.

Azzi, a star in the ABL, gave Detroit a 72-68 lead with a short jumper from the right side with 1:34 to play. She made seven of eight free throws the rest of the way, finishing with 11 points for the Shock (1-2).

Shannon Johnson led expansion Orlando (1-3) with 22 points.