THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

HOUSTON -- Hall of Fame basketball player Nancy Lieberman played in the Detroit Shock's WNBA game against the Houston Comets tonight.

The 50-year-old Lieberman -- who was a college superstar at Old Dominion University -- surpassed her own league record of being the women's professional league oldest player. In 1997 she claimed the record at 39 while playing for the Phoenix Mercury. She stopped playing after that and served as the Shock's coach and general manager from 1998-2000.

The Shock signed Lieberman to a seven-day contract today.

She took the roster spot that opened when forward Cheryl Ford sustained a season-ending knee injury during a bench-clearing melee in Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Sparks.

She expected to make a one-time appearance in Houston.

Lieberman entered the game with 1:01 left in the first quarter and Detroit leading 19-13. She had a black sleeve protecting her left knee. She lost the ball to Shannon Johnson the first time she touched it, 40 seconds after entering. She checked out with 8:34 left in the second quarter with all zeros on her stats line.