The Houston Comets' first home crowd was almost too big and supportive for the team's own good.
Overwhelmed by the largest crowd ever to see a women's professional basketball game in the United States, it took awhile for the Comets to settle into playing basketball for a 70-55 victory over the Phoenix Mercury Tuesday night in their home WNBA opener."You come in expecting to play before 7,500, then it goes to 10,000, then to 12,000 and all of a sudden it's a sellout," Comets coach Van Chancellor said. "That's quite an adjustment to make. You get caught up in that. You want to do good."
The crowd of 16,285 - the previous record was 16,102 at Sunday's game in Phoenix between the Mercury and the Charlotte Sting - gave the Comets (2-0) a warm welcome on the floor that is also home to the NBA Rockets.
The Rockets helped with the welcome, too. Charles Barkley presented a dozen roses to each Comets player before the game and several other Rockets players also attended the game.
The Comets liked the attention.
"No one said anything about the crowd but when we got out on the court we said `Wow,"' guard Kim Perrot said. "It was such a good feeling. I don't think we could have won without the crowd."
The Mercury took an 11-4 lead to start the game but the Comets battled back for a 34-24 halftime lead and never trailed again.
Houston had to survive a pair of second-half Phoenix charges. Phoenix cut Houston's lead to 38-37 with 15:26 to play and 46-44 with 8:51 to go.
"This was a lesson well learned," Phoenix coach Cheryl Miller said. "Sometimes it's good to get your tail kicked between your legs."
After the Mercury pulled to 46-44, Perrot hit a fast-break basket and Acrain followed with two baskets and the Comets pulled steadily away. Cynthia Cooper was only 2-of-11 from the field but scored 13 points.
Toni Foster led the Mercury with 13 points and Marlies Askamp had 12.
After they stumbled to open the game, the Comets went on a 30-13 run the rest of the half. The spurt included a 13-0 run at one point.