WNBA: Courtney Williams scores 12 fourth-quarter points to lead Connecticut Sun past Phoenix Mercury
Thursday night wins for Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings
Friday 2 August 2019 08:58, UK
Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Courtney Williams scored 12 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 68-62 on Thursday night.
Phoenix Mercury 62-68 Connecticut Sun
Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Courtney Williams scored 12 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 68-62 on Thursday night.
Connecticut (15-6), who are 11-1 at home this season, have won six straight games to remain atop the WNBA standings. Phoenix (10-10) were without star center Brittney Griner after the 6:23 mark of the second quarter due to an ankle injury.
Shekinna Stricklen added 12 points and Jasmine Thomas had 10 for Connecticut. Jones had her fourth double-double in six games, totaling 11 on the season.
DeWanna Bonner had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Leilani Mitchell added 13 points for Phoenix.
Former UConn star Diana Taurasi, whose lone appearance this season came against the Sun on July 12, did not play.
Las Vegas Aces 68-76 Los Angeles Sparks
Nneka Ogwumike had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Candace Parker added 16 points in her return as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Las Vegas Aces 76-68.
Los Angeles missed their first seven shots of the fourth quarter until Chelsea Gray's three-pointer gave the Sparks a 66-62 lead with 5:48 remaining.
Parker, back after missing five games, sank a three-pointer with 2:30 remaining for a 74-68 lead. Gray added 16 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles (12-8), who have won six of their last seven. Chiney Ogwumike did not play after getting a tooth pulled.
Kayla McBride led Las Vegas (14-7) with 19 points. Dearica Hamby added 11 points. A'ja Wilson did not play.
Las Vegas trailed 24-15 at the end of the first quarter after shooting 30 per cent, but the Aces opened the second on a 12-2 run to take a 27-26 lead.
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr were in attendance.
New York Liberty 64-87 Dallas Wings
Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points and fellow rookie Megan Gustafson added 11 points and eight rebounds as the Dallas Wings beat the New York Liberty 87-64 to move out of last place in the WNBA standings.
Dallas (6-15) snapped a six-game losing streak with their first victory since July 9. New York (8-12) have lost four in a row on the road.
Kayla Thornton chipped in with 14 points, and Isabelle Harrison and Allisha Gray each had 13 for Dallas. Gray had a season-high nine of Dallas' 24 assists on 30 field goals. Ogunbowale was 7-of-12 from the field for her sixth 20-plus game.
Dallas led by as many as 30 points in the third quarter, easily topping their previous season high of 16, but did not make a field goal in the fourth until the 5:13 mark.
Kia Nurse scored 13 points for New York and rookie Asia Durr added 10.
