SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Yolanda Griffith had 19 points and 11 rebounds to help Sacramento move to the brink of its first WNBA title, 66-55 over Connecticut in Game 3 on Sunday.
Game 4 of the best-of-five series is Tuesday in Sacramento.
The Monarchs opened the second half with a 15-5 run, including eight by Griffith, and led 50-36 with 11:30 left. The Sun rallied with 12 consecutive points in four minutes, capped by Ashja Jones ' jumper to cut it to 55-53 with 4:18 left. But Griffith ended the run with a layup, and Sacramento outscored Connecticut 9-0 during the final 3:16.
The Sun's Lindsay Whalen , who sat out Game 2 with a sprained ankle and leg injury, scored two and committed five turnovers.
WNBA MVP: Houston forward Sheryl Swoopes became the first three-time winner in the closest vote in league history. Swoopes, who led the league at 18.6 points per game, earned 327 points from a panel of writers and broadcasters. Seattle's Lauren Jackson , who won in 2003, had 325 and four more first-place votes than Swoopes.
NBA: The New Orleans Hornets have reached a tentative deal to play part of the upcoming season in Oklahoma City, The Oklahoman reported. Mayor Mick Cornett said a proposed lease is being drafted.
BOXING
Chavez retires after loss
Julio Cesar Chavez retired earlier than planned after losing to Grover Wiley Saturday in Phoenix. Chavez, 43, quit after Round 5 of the welterweight fight because of pain in his right hand. His son, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. , said he wants to fight Wiley. On the same card, he stopped Corey Alarcon 1:35 into Round 2 of a super-lightweight bout.
BOXER CRITICAL: Leavander Johnson was in a drug-induced coma after brain surgery Saturday in Las Vegas. Jesus Chavez hit him with a flurry in the 11th before the fight was stopped. Johnson did not go down but had trouble walking to the dressing room. A CAT scan showed a blood clot so big it was shifting the brain from the right to left side of Johnson's head.TENNIS
Russia wins Fed Cup
Russia won the Fed Cup for the second straight year with Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina beating host France's Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 for a 3-2 victory. Tied at 1, Dementieva beat Mauresmo in the opener 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. But Pierce rallied from down 4-1 in the second to beat Anastasia Myskina 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
FRENCH OPEN: The tournament will start on a Sunday, a day earlier, and last 15 days. And the women's champ will earn the same money as the men's for the first time. Among majors, only Wimbledon will pay women less.WISMILAK INTERNATIONAL: Lindsay Davenport beat Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-4 in the final in Bali, Indonesia. Davenport broke to go up 5-4 in the second.CHINA OPEN: Rafael Nadal beat Guillermo Coria 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the final in Beijing. The French Open champ beat Coria in the final at Monte Carlo and Rome this year.RUNNING
American record set
Deena Kastor set a U.S. women's record for the half-marathon, finishing the Philadelphia Distance Run in 1:07:53, 41 seconds faster than Joan Benoit Samuelson in 1984. Ethiopia's Gudisa Shentema won the men's race in 1:02:23.
GREAT NORTH RUN: Eritrea's Zersenay Tadesse , the bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters at the Athens Olympics, won in Newcastle, England. He finished the half-marathon in 59:05, 11 seconds faster than the world record. But it won't count because the course was slightly downhill. Ethiopia's Derartu Tulu , who won the 10,000 at the 1992 and 2000 Games, won the women's race in 1:07:33.ET CETERASOCCER: Roberto Mina scored twice as host FC Dallas clinched an MLS playoff berth 2-1 over Real Salt Lake.CYCLING: Spain's Roberto Heras became the first four-time winner of the Spanish Vuelta, beating Russia's Denis Menchov by 4:36. Heras also won in 2000, 2003 and 2004.COLLEGE SOCCER: Two goals by freshman Joris Claessens lifted the host USF men over Georgetown 3-1. ... Asmir Pervan scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season as the host Saint Leo men beat Thomas (Ga.) 4-0. ... Host West Florida scored three goals in the final five minutes to beat Eckerd 4-0. ... Danielle Malkin scored on a free kick from just outside the penalty area in the 90th minute to give host the USF women a 1-0 win over North Florida. ... Ameera Abdullah and Amanda Erickson scored in visiting Florida's 2-0 win over Central Florida. ... Land O'Lakes High graduate Casie Poyssick scored 28 seconds into the second overtime to give host Saint Leo a 2-1 win over Rollins. Ashley Hunsberger tied it for Rollins 1:11 into the second half. ... Shelby Kuni 's hat trick helped host Tampa beat Central Arkansas 8-0.[Last modified September 19, 2005, 01:09:09]
