Dydek Stands Tall in Utah’s Upset of Charlotte

Utah’s 7-foot-2 Margo Dydek had 13 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks as the Starzz rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half for a 61-58 WNBA victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Charlotte Sting Wednesday night at Charlotte, N.C.

Utah’s Wendy Palmer scored eight of her 10 points in the second half, including the go-ahead field goal with 30 seconds left.

Charlotte shot 53% in the first half but only 24% in the final 20 minutes. The Sting closed the first half with a 19-9 run after Dydek picked up her third foul, but Utah’s center was assessed only one foul the rest of the way and the Starzz, after trailing, 42-27, in the opening minute of the second half, worked their way back into contention.

Utah took a 57-56 lead on Erin Alexander’s three-pointer with 1:50 remaining. There were two more ties and a lead change before Palmer put the Starzz ahead to stay, 60-58, on a follow shot with 30 seconds left.

After Rhonda Mapp missed two shots on the other end, the Starzz (6-12) forced a jump ball with 11 seconds left. Kim Williams got the ball and added one foul shot to account for the final margin.

The victory, before 7,584, broke the Starzz’ five-game losing streak against the Sting (14-5). “We didn’t come out with fire in the second half,” said Charlotte Coach Marynell Meadors, whose team was playing its third game in four days. “If you let a team hang around long enough, they can win.”

Mapp led Charlotte with 17 points. Andrea Stinson missed a three-pointer in the closing seconds that would have forced overtime.

Detroit 76, Washington 61--Carla Porter scored a season-high 19 points to lead the Detroit Shock over the Mystics before 7,747 at Auburn Hills, Mich. Washington (2-16) was missing center Alessandra Santos de Olivera, who is out with a knee injury. The Mystics’ leading scorer, Nikki McCray, missed her first 13 shots and finished with eight points.

Porter scored seven points in Detroit’s 27-8 run to start the game, then added eight more in an 8-2 surge early in the second half. Detroit (10-9) moved into a three-way tie for second in the Eastern Conference with Cleveland and New York.