2016 WNBA season scores: Mercury continue post-Olympic break push with win over Fever


The Phoenix Mercury are beginning to look like the team which won the WNBA title just two years ago. The Mercury shut down the Indiana Fever in a defensive battle, 79-65 on Tuesday for their third straight victory in post-Olympic break action.

Brittney Griner anchored the squad on both ends of the floor, scoring 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting and adding seven rebounds and four blocks. Griner was also a game-high plus-15.

Diana Taurasi tallied 19 points including 4-for-8 from three-point area and four assists as Phoenix improved to 13-14 overall in the season.

The team is now in sixth spot and is just a game behind the fourth-seeded Atlanta Dream (14-13). The third and fourth-placed teams at the end of the elimination round will get one round byes in the new playoff format.

Indiana, which lost the first two games of its home stand, dropped to seventh place with a 12-14 record.

The Mercury broke a 14-all deadlock after the first quarter as Griner asserted her might inside the paint. Not only did she cover tons of space underneath the basket on defense, she was also efficient on offense, getting high-percentage shots around the rim.

Using that presence, Phoenix outscored Indiana, 41-32 over the next two quarters. Taurasi then dropped 13 points in the fourth as the Mercury established a double-digit lead to take control.

DeWanna Bonner and Penny Taylor also finished in double-digits with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Indiana shot only 33.3 percent from the field, including a woeful 3-for-17 from three-point distance.

Erlana Larkins led the Fever with 12 points and eight boards. Lynetta Kizer added 10 points while Briann January had nine points and four assists. Shenise Johnson, however, was limited to only four points on 2-for-10 shooting.

Last night's scores:

 Connecticut Sun 89, San Antonio Stars 62


The Connecticut Sun only needed a 28-9 first quarter to pull away and easily beat the San Antonio Stars.

Alex Bentley led four double-digit scorers with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Chiney Ogwumike and Alyssa Thomas each scored 16 points. Jasmine Thomas added 14 points.

The Sun remain in 10th spot with a 10-17 but are just half a game out of the playoff picture behind the Seattle Storm (10-16) and Washington Mystics (10-16).

Only eight players saw action for the 6-20 Stars. Astou Ndour had 12 points while Moriah Jefferson and Monique Currie each contributed 10 points.

Phoenix Mercury 79, Indiana Fever 65

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