In Houston, the Storm built a big early lead and held on for the win. Lauren Jackson, despite back trouble, scored early and often. Lennox, her hand still taped, had one point in the first half, 17 in the second.

For Houston, Michelle Snow (21 points) showed focus and power; Swoopes-- who scored 15 but missed her first 6 shots-- didn't exactly carry the team on her back. The Comets tied the score at 49 but couldn't get momentum after that, thanks in part to a game-clogging series of whistles: Seattle attempted 31 free throws, Houston 24.

Snow: "We've got to find a way to stop Sue and Lauren in that two-man game. They gave us a lot of fits, and they ended up getting a lot of layups. That's something that we have a few days to correct."

Jackson described her decision to play through pain: "It could be one of those things where if I wait a day and I don't give everything I've got the next couple of games, we may not have another chance. I'm not going to risk that."

The Comets let hurricane refugees in for free. Storm center Janell Burse, a Tulane grad, still lives in Louisiana in the offseason: 17 of her family members attended the game.