Skylar Diggins had a season-high 26 points, Gabby Williams had a season-high 21 points and a career-high five 3-pointers, and the Seattle Storm pulled away from the host Phoenix Mercury for an 89-77 victory Saturday in the third meeting between the two this season.
Diggins had 22 of her 26 points in the second half, and her 3-pointer gave the Storm an 84-72 lead with 2:27 remaining. She missed her first five shots but finished 8 of 18 from the field and four of eight from distance.
Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Storm, who have beaten the Mercury in their last two meetings after being blown out 81-59 in Phoenix in the season opener for both.
Satou Sabally had 22 points, Lexi Held had 14 points and Kitija Laksa had nine points on three 3-pointers for the Mercury, who fell to 2-2 in Commissioner’s Cup play. Sabally had her sixth 20-point game this season.
Williams was eight of 10 from the field and made five of six on 3-pointers while adding a season-high seven assists.
Williams has scored in double figures and made at least one 3-pointer in eight consecutive games.
The Storm, who had lost three of their lost four, shot 48.5 percent from the field and made 12 of 22 3-point attempts. They are 2-1 in Cup play.
Diggins had 24 points and 14 assists in the Storm’s 77-70 victory in Seattle the last time these teams met on May 23.
The Mercury, playing their ninth game in 18 days, were without second-leading scorer and primary ball-handler Alyssa Thomas, who missed her fifth straight game with a left calf injury. Thomas is second on the team in scoring and rebounding and leads in assists.
The Mercury shot 43.9 percent from the field and made eight of 25 3-point attempts. Held and Sabally each made two threes.
Diggins scored the first seven Seattle points in the third quarter, and her 15-footer with 3:15 left in the quarter gave the Storm their biggest lead at the time, 65-57. Diggins’ 3-pointer with just under five minutes left made it 75-67.
Williams had 10 points, three assists and two 3-pointers in the first quarter but the Mercury opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run to take their largest lead, 29-26.
–Field Level Media
