WNBA Roundup Thursday’s game

Mercury 93, Mystics 87

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cappie Pondexter scored 24 points and Diana Taurasi had 23 to help the Phoenix Mercury pickup their first road victory. Temeka Johnson added 11 points and Kelly Mazzante scored 10 for the Mercury (6-3), who had key runs to close out the first and third quarters and then held off the Mystics’ late rally. Alana Beard led five double-figure scorers with 21 points, as the Mystics (4-2) cut a nine-point fourth quarter deficit to 89-87 on Crystal Langhorne’s basket with 1:56 remaining. However they missed on their next four potential game-tying shots and the Mercury finally snapped a late scoring drought when Tangela Smith found Le’coe Willingham inside for a layup with 6.9 seconds remaining. Pondexter stole the subsequent inbound pass and Taurasi added a layup to end the game. Beard’s jump shot late in the third quarter gave the Mystics a 66-65 lead after they trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half. That advantage lasted exactly one possession as Pondexter immediately scored on a three-point play and the Mercury closed the quarter with seven straight points and 10 overall.

Associated Press