COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Allisha Gray scored 26 points, including a career-high seven three-pointers, and Naz Hillmon had 18 points and nine rebounds in her first start of the season as the Atlanta Dream beat the Phoenix Mercury 95-72 on Friday night.
Atlanta scored 34 points in the first quarter after making 62 per cent of its shots, including eight for 11 from three-point range. Gray had 14 points in the quarter— a career-high for any quarter — and Maya Caldwell added 11 to outscore Phoenix’s 23 points. The Dream’s eight three-pointers tied a franchise record for any quarter.
The Dream extended their lead to 58-42 at halftime behind 16 points and four three-pointers by Gray. A 9-0 run to begin the third quarter made it 67-42 before Phoenix made its first basket of the half with 6:30 left.
Atlanta had 84 points and 12 three-pointers entering the fourth.
Brionna Jones had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Caldwell added a season-high 14 points for Atlanta (17-11). Gray was eight for 12 from the floor, including seven for nine from three-point range, to reach 25-plus points for the seventh time this season. Brittney Griner (neck) and Rhyne Howard (left knee) did not play.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix (16-11) with 19 points. Alyssa Thomas had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas moved into 13th in league history with 2,579 career rebounds.
SUN 78, LIBERTY 62
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Marina Mabrey scored 18 points and Tina Charles added 15 to help Connecticut beat short-handed New York.
It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Liberty (17-10), who were missing Breanna Stewart. The star forward is recovering from a bone bruise in her right knee. New York also was without Nyara Sabally (knee) and Kennedy Burke (right calf strain) and only had eight healthy players.
The team is in the midst of its longest losing streak since 2022 when the franchise had five-game and seven-game skids.
Emma Meesseman joined the squad on Friday and the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP suited up, but didn’t play as she was still getting acclimated to the squad. Coach Sandy Brondello expects her to be in the lineup on Sunday when the teams play again in Connecticut.
For the Sun (5-21), it was a big victory for a young team looking to establish its identity. Reserves Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Leila Lacan each had 16.
VALKYRIES 73, SKY 66
CHICAGO — Veronica Burton had 18 points, Janelle Salaun had 16 points, and the Golden State beat the short-handed Chicago for their third straight victory.
Iliana Rupert added 14 points including four 3-pointers, and Carla Leite scored 11 for Golden State (14-13). The Valkyries were 10 of 30 from 3-point range and 15 of 16 at the free-throw line.
Elizabeth Williams had 15 points and eight rebounds to lead Chicago (7-20). Kamilla Cardoso had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Rachel Banham also scored 14. Kia Nurse added 10 points.
FEVER 88, WINGS 78
DALLAS — Kelsey Mitchell had 23 points, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard had double-doubles and Indiana beat Dallas for their season-high fourth-straight win despite playing without Caitlin Clark for the sixth straight game.
The game was moved to American Airlines Center in anticipation of a Clark-Paige Bueckers showdown but Clark missed her 15th game overall and the Fever improved to 8-7 without her. Bueckers did not disappoint the crowd of 17,857 — second-highest in Dallas history — with 22 points, her 12th 20-point game as she increased her WNBA record for double-figure games to start a career to 23 games.
Boston had 12 points and 11 rebounds, Howard 11 points and a career-high tying 16 rebounds and both had five assists for the Fever (16-12), who are 3-0 against the Wings. Aari McDonald also had 12 points.
Bueckers was the only player in double figures for the Wings (8-21). Arike Ogunbowale had eight points and did not play in the fourth quarter.
SPARKS 108, STORM 106
SEATTLE — Dearica Hamby's layup with 4.3 seconds left gave Los Angeles a win over Seattle in the first double-overtime game in the WNBA this season.
Hamby put up a contested shot but Skylar Diggins' similar shot on the other end fell off the rim as time expired.
Rickea Jackson had 27 points to lead the Sparks (12-15), who have won six of seven. Kelsey Plum added 22 points and seven assists, while Hamby and Azura Stevens both had 21. Hamby also had 13 rebounds.
Cameron Brink had seven points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and five fouls in 12 minutes in her second game back after ACL surgery last season.
