Dawn Staley plays in the first game of her final season tonight as Houston hosts San Antonio.

"There's always a sense of urgency when you know you won't be back the following year," Staley said. "So for me, I'm going to really embrace this entire season, all of it. All of the good, the bad, and I'm going to let the chips fall where they may."

The Comets' opponent tonight has not experienced any success in San Antonio, since relocating from Utah following the 2002 season. Dan Hughes is realistically optimistic that this season will be better. "I do think things are in a better place. But there is a reality that there is a perception between achievement and performance. They need to be able to look down and make sense of what we're doing."

Hughes, who also took over G.M. duties last summer, spent this offseason formulating a plan for rebuilding the franchise with a mixture of knowledgeable veterans and talented young players.