Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
CHICAGO (AP) — Canada’s Kia Nurse sank a 3-pointer a step inside the half-court line as time expired and the Phoenix Mercury closed the game on a 14-3 run to beat the Chicago Sky 84-83 on Tuesday night.
Phoenix trailed 80-70 with 3:37 to play, but Chicago would not make another field goal the rest of the way.
Megan Walker made two free throws with 29.9 seconds left to pull Phoenix within 83-80, and Kahleah Copper had a shot roll off the rim at the other end. Nurse grabbed the rebound, dribbled down the court and eluded a defender at midcourt for an open look from distance. Nurse went to her knees as her teammates rushed in to celebrate.
Skylar Diggins-Smith led Phoenix (4-3) with 24 points and Hamilton’s Nurse finished with 18 points on five 3-pointers. Brittney Griner and Turner each added 13 points and Walker scored 10.
Diamond DeShields scored 26 points for Chicago (2-5), which lost its fifth straight game.
STORM 88, FEVER 73
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 28 points, Jewell Loyd added 18 and the Storm beat the Fever for coach Noelle Quinn’s first victory.
Quinn took over on Sunday after Dan Hughes abruptly announced his retirement, saying the rigors of being a head coach in the WNBA has taken a toll.
Sue Bird added 12 points and eight assists for Seattle (6-1), which has won four straight games.
Stewart scored 16 points in the first half and Loyd added 10 as Seattle built a 43-38 lead.
Teaira McCowan had 12 points and 15 rebounds and Jessica Breland added 12 points for Indiana (1-8).
SUN 74, ACES 67
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jonquel Jones had 23 points and seven rebounds, Brionna Jones added 14 points and eight boards, and the Sun beat the Aces.
Connecticut (7-2) had lost two of its last three games — both in overtime — after a 5-0 start. Las Vegas (5-2) had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Connecticut led 60-59 with 5:59 remaining before going on a 10-2 run with four points apiece from Jonquel Jones and Brionna Jones. Brionna Jones and Jasmine Thomas combined to make 4 of 4 free throws in the final minute to seal it.
Briann January and Thomas each scored 11 points for Connecticut. Thomas also had six assists.
Liz Cambage had a season-high 28 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for Las Vegas. She said she cleared the air before the game with Connecticut coach Curt Miller before. Miller was fined and suspended for a game for comments he made about Cambage to an official when the two teams met on May 24 in Las Vegas.
WINGS 79, SPARKS 69
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tyasha Harris scored a career-high 18 points, with four 3-pointers, and Kayla Thornton had 15 points and seven rebounds to help the Dallas Wings beat the Sparks, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Arike Ogunbowale added 14 points for Dallas (2-4). Moriah Jefferson had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Marina Mabrey added 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Dallas outrebounded Los Angeles 41-24. The Wings also made 10 3-pointers and 17 of 18 free throws.
Dallas led 38-28 at halftime behind balanced scoring. Thornton scored nine points, and Mabrey, Jefferson and Ogunbowale added eight points apiece.
Kristi Toliver scored 14 points, making 4 of 5 3-pointers, for Los Angeles (2-3), which had a two-game winning streak snapped.
The Associated Press
