Robinson's final second 3-pointer gives Liberty win in OT

BOX SCORE

HOUSTON (AP) - Crystal Robinson made up for a missed shot at the end of regulation with her biggest shot of the game in the final seconds of overtime.

With the New York Liberty trailing by a single point, Robinson hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime, leading the Liberty to a 68-65 win over the Houston Comets.

Just seconds after Dominique Canty made one of two free throws to tie the game, Robinson took a pass from Ann Wauters and made the long shot for the win.

Robinson and Elena Baranova each scored 13 points to lead New York, and Wauters added 12 for the Liberty, who have won three straight overall and two in a row away from Madison Square Garden.

Shameka Christon evades Sheryl Swoopes. (AP)

Canty missed the first of two free throws with 4.8 seconds left in overtime. She finished with seven points on 3-of-7 shooting.

"I was thinking I hope she missed them," said Becky Hammon, who fouled Canty on the play. "I really didn't want to give her a three-point play and we're lucky that it didn't go in because I hit her pretty good."

Sheryl Swoopes, who was the MVP of the WNBA All-Star game last weekend, scored 23 points for Houston, which had its six-game winning streak snapped.

Michelle Snow tied her career-high of 21 points for the Comets, who lost for the first time since dropping four in a row from June 7-15.

Swoopes had just two points in the first half, but scored 21 points in the second and overtime periods to help keep Houston in the game.

Swoopes and Snow combined for 33 straight points from the 5:14 mark of the first half until Janeth Arcain made the first basket in overtime with 3:45 to go.

"We didn't come ready to play tonight," Swoopes said. "We had no energy and I tried to get everyone pumped up, but New York just outplayed us down the stretch.

"They made huge plays when they needed to."

The Comets led 33-31 at the break, led by Snow's 14 points. She shot 6-for-8 in the first half and paced the Comets to their biggest lead of the period at 30-22, with 3:36 to play.

But New York closed the half with a 9-3 run behind five quick points by Hammon. After hitting a 3-pointer at 1:30, she made an easy layup 34 seconds later.

"I have experienced a great low in basketball tonight," said Comets head coach Van Chancellor. Van Chancellor said he thought the team received a reprieve when it went into overtime. "And I really thought we would beat them. But we couldn't stop them," he said.

"I thought it was just a great game, nip and tuck the whole way," said Liberty coach Pay Coyle. "Swoopes and Snow are their two All-Stars and you know in crunch time they are going to go to them.

"Thankfully, in the second half and overtime, we did a good job of guarding them."