July 7, 2007: Scoreboard | Video Play of the Day | Photo Gallery | Today in the WNBA Archive

PHOTO OF THE DAY Chasity Melvin scored 18 points Saturday to eclipse 3,000 for her nine-year career. She is the 19th player in league history to reach the milestone. Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images

Sun Sizzle in Hollywood Hot Shooting Downs Floundering Sparks: Sure, the L.A. Sparks -- mired in their longest losing streak in four years -- have been struggling. But not even an All-Defensive fantasy team could have stopped the Connecticut Sun on Saturday. Fueled by some of the hottest shooting the WNBA has seen all season, Connecticut ran away with a 110-89 victory. The Sun were led by 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting from Katie Douglas and 23 on 9-of-13 by Evanthia Maltsi. Of the eight Connecticut players to attempt at least one field goal, all shot at least 50 percent from the floor. As a team, the Sun finished at a single-game franchise record 63.9 percent from the field overall, 73.3 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free throw line. Add those totals up and it's easy to see why L.A. was dealt its fifth straight defeat. ALSO MAKING HEADLINES ... Third Time Still Not a Charm for Sky: There is little doubt the Chicago Sky are vastly improved from their 5-29 inaugural campaign a year ago. Entering Saturday's matchup with the Washington Mystics, the Sky had won two straight, pushing their record to 8-8 to put them in serious contention for a playoff berth. They were also on the verge of their first-ever three-game winning streak. But on Saturday, after failing in two attempts earlier this season, Chicago seemed poised to post its third W in a row, building an 11-point lead behind Candice Dupree. Things fell apart in the fourth quarter, though, as the Sky were outscored by 13 and lost, 77-73, despite 24 points and 11 rebounds from Dupree. Dupree WHAT THEY'RE SAYING "Erin is having a career season. Even though she set her personal scoring record, she has played well all season." -- Seattle head coach Anne Donovan, on the spectacular play of San Antonio's Erin Buescher. Buescher, who played under Donovan with the now-defunct Charlotte Sting, scored a career-high 27 points in the Silver Stars' victory over the Storm. Donovan

WHO'S HOT Katie Douglas, Sun 28 pts, 11-18 FG, 5-7 3-pt FG 110-89 win at Sparks Evanthia Maltsi, Sun 23 pts, 9-13 FG, 5-5 3-pt FG 110-89 win at Sparks Tanisha Wright, Storm 23 pts, 9-13 FG, 4-5 FT 80-73 loss at Silver Stars

Douglas

WHO'S NOT Betty Lennox, Storm 2-11 FG, 2-9 3-pt FG, 10 pts 80-73 loss at Silver Stars Stacey Dales, Sky 3-13 FG, 2-7 3-pt FG, 10 pts 77-73 loss vs. Mystics Sherill Baker, Sparks 4-11 FG, 0-1 3-pt FG, 13 pts 110-89 loss vs. Sun

Lennox

WHO'S ON TAP Sunday's Games ... Monarchs at Liberty, 4 p.m. ET on NBA TV Mercury at Shock, 6 p.m. ET on NBA TV Sky at Fever, 6 p.m. ET Comets at Lynx, 6 p.m. ET

Taurasi

Buescher

FILLING THE BOX SCORE Becky Hammon's foot injury kept her out a third consecutive game Saturday, but the Silver Stars have yet to feel the impact of the All-Star's absence. They can thank Erin Buescher for that. Buescher was all over the court against the Storm, tallying a career-high 27 points, six rebounds and five steals, as San Antonio won its third in a row, 80-73 at home Saturday. Without Hammon in the lineup, Buescher is averaging 23 points, 9.7 rebounds and three steals per game.

COMING UP CLUTCH The Mystics entered the fourth quarter trailing the Sky, who had won two straight entering play, by nine points and needed a spark to get them going. Alana Beard provided that spark. The fourth-year veteran scored 13 of her game-high 25 points in the period as Washington outscored Chicago by 13 and snatched a 77-73 victory. Beard also sank four straight free throws in the final 10 seconds to ice the game.

Beard