Mercury fall as game gets chippy late
Every WNBA team plays one opponent four times and the other 10 three in a 34-game season.
For the Phoenix Mercury, battling through injuries just to extend their sixyear playoff run, this season seemed a good one to have Dallas as its four-game draw.
The Wings are rebuilding in their first season under veteran coach Brian Agler and have been without their best player, guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, all season. Diggins-Smith had a baby in the offseason, not long before the start of training camp.
Dallas also traded elite center Liz Cambage to Las Vegas in May and one of the key return pieces, guard Moriah Jefferson, has yet to play due to injury.
Even with the Wings in transition, they’ve beat the Mercury in the first meeting and have been a tough out since. Phoenix wins games 2-3 by a combined nine points.
Nothing changed Saturday night in a tense game at Talking Stick Resort Arena that included a near brawl in the fourth quarter when an incensed Mercury center Brittney Griner chased after rookie Kristine Anigwe of Phoenix, recently obtained by Dallas in a trade.
The extra curricular action occurred with 6:23 left and the Mercury leading 71-68.
Griner and Anigwe were ejected following a lengthy video review along with the Mercury's Diana Taurasi and the Wings' Kayla Thornton and Kaela Davis, all for coming off the bench. Taurasi is not playing due to injury but was involved for a second straight game after drawing a technical foul from the bench Thursday at Los Angeles.
Dallas rookie Arike Ogunbowale missed a pair of free throws with 1:46 left before hitting two at 1:21, cutting the Mercury lead to 77-75.
Phoenix's DeWanna Bonner missed two off balance shots. Teammate Brianna Turner rebounded but threw a pass to Dallas' Brooke McCarty-Williams.
After a Wings timeout, Ogunbowale made a tougher leaner for a tie at 77 with 46.8 seconds left.
The Mercury failed to get off a shot as Isabelle Harrison stole the ball from Leilani Mitchell and broke down court for a layup and 79-77 Dallas lead.
With 26 seconds left, the Mercury inbounded to Bonner, who found Brianna Turner open underneath, but the rookie missed.
A video replay of an out of bounds call with 15.1 seconds left went in the Wings' favor.
Yvonne Turner chased down Ogunbowale for a foul with 10.6 seconds left. She made one of two free throws and Dallas rebounded the miss for an 80-77 win.
The Mercury fell to 11-12 with a costly defeat. Dallas improved to 7-17.
Up next
The Mercury play the second of four consecutive home games against Connecticut (16-7) on Wednesday. The Sun are at Las Vegas on Sunday. Connecticut leads 2-0 in the season series vs. Phoenix.
Mitchell led Phoenix with 23 points, one of four Mercury in double-figure scoring. Ogunbowale had 23 to lead the Wings.
Griner dunks in first half
The Mercury led 46-40 after a contentious first half that included technical fouls on Briann January and Ogunbowale.
The Wings led 21-20 after the first quarter and the second was tied at 25 after a Thornton 3-pointer.
Dallas picked up its fifth foul with 5:20 left in the second, and the Mercury took advantage, scoring 15 of their 26 points in that quarter from the line.
Dallas backup center Imani McGeeStafford had five fouls at halftime and January four.
The teams combined for 41 first-half free throws, making 35.
Mercury guards Yvonne Turner and Mitchell combined for 18 first-half points.
Griner was wide open for her second dunk of the season at 4:20 of the first quarter.