WNBA round-up: Breanna Stewart scores 28 points as Seattle Storm overcome Indiana Fever
Breanna Stewart scored 28 points as Seattle Storm won their fifth consecutive game and first under new coach Noelle Quinn by defeating the visiting Indiana Fever 88-73 on Tuesday night.
Jewell Loyd added 18 points and Sue Bird scored 12 points with eight assists as the Storm (6-1) took a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never relinquished their advantage, in their first game since former coach Dan Hughes retired on Sunday.
Teaira McCowan had 12 points and 14 rebounds, Jessica Breland scored 12, Danielle Robinson had 11 and Tiffany Mitchell added 10 to lead the Fever, who fell to 1-8 and 0-3 on their current five-game road trip.
WNBA: Wednesday’s Results
The Fever were more competitive after starting their longest road trip of the season with two losses at Las Vegas by a combined 59 points, although they allowed at least 83 points for the seventh time this season.
Nurse nails late three-pointer as Mercury stun Sky
Kia Nurse’s running three-pointer just past halfcourt as time expired lifted the Phoenix Mercury to a stunning 84-83 victory over the host Chicago Sky on Tuesday night.
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Nurse, who finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, grabbed a board at the other end off a miss by Chicago’s Kahleah Copper with under five seconds left, and quickly raced downcourt and heaved it to the hoop just as she crossed the midcourt line.
Nurse was swarmed by her team-mates in celebration on the floor, as Phoenix (4-3) registered a second consecutive victory.
Diamond DeShields scored 11 of her 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead Chicago, and shot 10-for-11 from the free-throw line.
However, her efforts could not prevent Sky (2-5) from losing their fifth consecutive game – all at home – in heart-breaking fashion.
WNBA: Thursday’s fixtures
Wings regain Spark to snap losing streak
Tyasha Harris registered a career-high 18 points to help the Dallas Wings snap a four-game losing streak with a runaway 79-69 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday in Arlington, Texas.
Dallas hit the front early in the second period, fended off a spirited Sparks run in the third quarter and never let Los Angeles to within less than seven points in the final period.
Kayla Thornton added 15 points for Dallas (2-4), whose two wins this season have come against Los Angeles. Arike Ogunbowale also added 14 points for the Wings, with Marina Mabrey and Moriah Jefferson hitting for 10 each.
Kristi Toliver led Los Angeles (2-3) with 14 points, with Te’a Cooper scoring 12 and Amanda Zahui B tallying 10. Nneka Ogwumike added 10 points for the Sparks, before being forced off with a knee injury in the fourth quarter.
WNBA: Friday’s fixtures
Sun recover from tough loss to account for Aces
Jonquel Jones scored 23 points and seven rebounds as the Connecticut Sun bounced back from a late collapse at Minnesota with a 74-67 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night in Uncasville, Conn.
Brionna Jones had 14 points and eight rebounds, while Briann January and Jasmine Thomas added 11 points apiece for the Sun.
DeWanna Bonner, who entered the night at 18.4 points per game and the Sun’s second-leading scorer, finished with just six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Eastern Conference-leading Connecticut (7-2) spurned an eight-point lead in the final 2:35 of regulation and lost to the Lynx 79-74 in overtime on Sunday night – their second defeat in three after winning their opening five.
Liz Cambage led all scorers with 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Las Vegas. A’ja Wilson had 14 points with six assists, Chelsea Gray scored 10 points and Dearica Hamby added eight for the Aces.
Las Vegas (5-3) had won a season-high three straight games after a 72-65 home loss against the Aces on May 23, and the teams will meet once more in the regular season on August 24, also in Connecticut.
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