BRADENTON, Fla. — Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner each scored 22 points, and the Mercury beat the Sky 96-86 on Thursday for their fourth consecutive victory.
The Sky opened a 16-8 lead before the Mercury went on a 24-2 run in the last four minutes of the first quarter to grab a 14-point lead at the end of the quarter. Taurasi tied the score at 16 with a four-point play, Brianna Turner followed with a layup and the Mercury led the rest of the way.
Taurasi made a three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left in the first half to steal some of the Sky’s momentum, and the Mercury (4-2) led 55-49 at the break.
In the third quarter, after Courtney Vandersloot made a three-pointer to pull the Sky to 60-59, Taurasi made two three-pointers less than a minute apart to blunt the Sky’s rally again.
Skylar Diggins-Smith and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough added 17 points apiece for the Mercury. Vandersloot led the Sky (4-2) with 21 points, and Kahleah Copper added 18.
It was a chippy game, and Sky coach James Wade was ejected with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter after arguing with the officials.
CHICAGO (86)
Copper 7-12 4-4 18, Stevens 1-5 2-4 5, Parker 4-6 0-0 9, Quigley 5-16 0-0 13, Vandersloot 8-13 2-2 21, Hebard 2-2 0-0 4, Williams 3-10 1-2 7, Colson 0-0 2-2 2, DeShields 2-6 2-2 7, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-70 13-16 86.
PHOENIX (96)
Cunningham 1-2 0-0 3, Turner 1-4 1-2 3, Griner 7-13 8-8 22, Diggins-Smith 5-11 5-5 17, Taurasi 7-14 4-6 22, Coffey 1-2 1-2 3, Smith 3-4 0-0 7, Vaughn 1-1 0-0 2, Walker-Kimbrough 6-10 3-3 17. Totals 32-61 22-26 96.
Chicago 18 31 18 19 — 86
Phoenix 32 23 25 16 — 96
3-Point Goals—Chicago 9-24 (Vandersloot 3-7, Quigley 3-9, Williams 0-5), Phoenix 10-19 (Taurasi 4-8, Walker-Kimbrough 2-3, Diggins-Smith 2-5, Cunningham 1-2). Fouled Out—Chicago 1 (Parker), Phoenix None. Rebounds—Chicago 34 (Parker 7), Phoenix 27 (Griner 8). Assists—Chicago 19 (Vandersloot 8), Phoenix 17 (Taurasi 6). Total Fouls—Chicago 28, Phoenix 19.
