Johnson powers Shock past Silver Stars, Liberty fight for playoff spot

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Temeka Johnson scored 18 points to lead the Tulsa Shock to an 80-70 victory against the playoff-bound San Antonio Silver Stars on Sunday.

Ivory Latta added 15 points and Roneeka Hodges 11 for Tulsa (8-23), which won its second straight after a four-game skid.

Sophia Young scored 15 points and Danielle Adams 12 to lead San Antonio (19-12), which has lost seven of 10 since a 12-game winning streak. Becky Hammon and Jia Perkins both scored 10 points.

The Shock shot 63 percent (12 for 19) on 3-pointers as Hodges went 3 for 5 from beyond the arc and Johnson was 3 for 3. Tulsa outscored the Silver Stars 10-2 in the final 5 minutes of the game to turn a close contest into its first victory over San Antonio in five meetings this season.

"Today they were better than us," Hammon said. "I don't necessarily think they are the better team, but today they were, so give them credit."

Young's layup with 4:57 was San Antonio's last points until Adams hit a short jumper with 25.2 seconds left.

"Defense makes stops," Latta said. "We can go down and score anytime. We did a great job on Sophia. Everybody else got out on their shooters."

The fourth quarter started off as the third did, with San Antonio opening strongly only to have Tulsa respond with its own run.

Adams' layup completed a 6-0 run that tied game at 64, but the Shock regained the lead when Jennifer Lacy made a layup and Hodges a 3-pointer for a 69-64 advantage.

Courntey Paris' layup gave Tulsa a 74-68 lead with 2:56 left in the game, and neither team scored until Latta's jumper about 80 seconds later.

"We executed really well down the stretch," Shock coach Gary Kloppenburg said. "We had a couple of big shots go in (and) we got stops down the stretch when we needed them. That has been our problem with San Antonio. Before, in the fourth quarter, we were usually right there in the game and we could not get some key stops."

San Antonio finished the game shooting 39 percent from the field (26 for 66) after both teams shot better than 50 percent from the field in the first half.

Sun 60, Storm 58

SEATTLE -- Renee Montgomery made two free throws with 14.4 seconds left to help the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Seattle Storm.

Montgomery drew a foul against Camille Little to set up the free throws that made it 59-58.

Connecticut improved to 23-9 and moved two games ahead of Indiana atop the Eastern Conference.

Kara Lawson led the Sun with 13 points, Tina Charles added 12, and Mistie Mims had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Shekinna Stricklen scored 12 points to lead Seattle (13-18), but the rookie missed two shots in the final seconds. The Storm have lost four straight.

Tina Thompson and Katie Smith hit consecutive 3-pointers to give the Storm a 56-54 lead with 2:21 remaining, and Smith added a 13-foot jumper to make it 58-54 with 1:22 left.

Lawson hit a 3 to cut the lead to 58-57 with 51.5 seconds left.

The Storm played without regular starters Sue Bird (strained right hip flexor) and Lauren Jackson (strained hamstring). Seattle, fourth in the Western Conference, has clinched its ninth consecutive playoff berth.

Sky 86, Mercury 55

PHOENIX -- Shay Murphy scored 20 of her career-high 22 points in the first half and the Chicago Sky beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury to stay a game behind New York for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East with three games to play.

Epiphanny Prince added 15 points and four assists, and Swin Cash had 12 points and eight rebounds for Chicago. The Sky have won four of their last six games to improve to 13-18.

Murphy scored seven straight points during a 12-0 run late in the second quarter as Chicago went up 55-26 at the break. The Mercury never got closer than 21 in the second half. It was the largest margin of victory in Sky franchise history, surpassing a 27-point win over San Antonio on July 14, 2010.

Charde Houston had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists for Phoenix (7-24).

Liberty 75, Mystics 68

WASHINGTON -- Trailing by nine points with about nine minutes remaining, a loss to last place Washington could have dealt a serious blow to the New York Liberty's playoff chances.

However, thanks to Cappie Pondexter, Nicole Powell and some stifling defense, the Liberty remain in control of their future.

Pondexter had 30 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and 11 rebounds as the Liberty rallied to beat the Mystics 75-68.

"Defense is our key," Liberty coach John Whisenant said. "And Cappie. She's been awesome. She's our MVP and the most important player to her team of anybody in the league."

Powell scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter as well and Essence Carson added 15 points as New York (14-17) won its third straight.

The Liberty began the day with a one-game lead over Chicago for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sky play at Phoenix later.

Jasmine Thomas scored 16 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) and Monique Currie had 12 to lead the Washington (5-27), which has lost 11 straight.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.