SAN ANTONIO, May 21 (Ticker) -- Sheryl Swoopes scored 26 points as the hot-shooting Houston Comets opened their season with a 78-70 victory over the revamped San Antonio Silver Stars.

Swoopes made 9-of-16 shots to lead the Comets, who shot 55 percent (31-of-56) from the field. Despite playing without star forward Tina Thompson, Houston never trailed and led by as many as 19 points.

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The Comets scored the first six points and opened a 37-29 halftime lead behind 11 points from Swoopes. The two-time WNBA MVP scored five points in a 15-4 surge that opened the second half, including a three-point play that gave Houston its largest lead at 52-33 with 14:21 to play.

Kristen Rasmussen scored 11 points, Dominique Canty added 10 and Tari Phillips nine for the Comets, who held a 30-21 advantage in rebounds. Michelle Snow had nine boards.

Marie Ferdinand scored 24 points and LaToya Thomas added 14 for the Silver Stars, who shot just 41 percent (24-of-58). San Antonio pulled within five points in the last minute but got no closer.

Coming off a 9-25 season that included losing streaks of eight and nine games and a coaching change, the Silver Stars swung a trade for rookie Katie Feenstra, who had nine points and six rebounds in her WNBA debut.

Ferdinand, who missed most of last season with an elbow injury, made 6-of-13 shots and 9-of-10 free throws. Rookies Shyra Ely and Kendra Wecker scored four points each.