SALT LAKE CITY, July 17 (Ticker) -- The Utah Starzz do not beat the Houston Comets very often. This time, they beat them up.

Marie Ferdinand scored 20 points to lead a balanced attack as the Starzz extended their winning streak to four games and narrowed the gap in the Western Conference with a 75-67 victory over the Comets.

Jennifer Azzi scored 17 points, Margo Dydek had 17 and 14 rebounds and Natalie Williams swept 17 boards for the Starzz, who held the Comets to 36.5 percent shooting (23-of-63) and gained a 41-31 advantage on the glass. Utah limited Houston All-Star forward Tina Thompson to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

The Starzz (14-6) came in just 3-17 all-time against the Comets (16-5), including 1-9 at the Delta Center. But they moved within 1 1/2 games of Houston for second place in the West.

Utah held a 32-31 halftime lead and never trailed thereafter. Houston still was within a bucket before Azzi and Adrienne Goodson made 3-pointers and Ferdinand scored four points in a pivotal 13-2 surge.

A free throw by Ferdinand gave the Starzz a 68-55 lead with 3:16 to go. The Comets fought back within 71-67 on a 3-pointer by Michelle Snow with 37 seconds left, but Ferdinand made two more from the line to seal it.

Goodson scored 13 points for the Starzz, who shot 40 percent (24-of-60) and made 24-of-30 free throws.

Janeth Arcain scored 17 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 16 for Houston, which had won 11 of its last 12 games.