Washington, DC — Alyssa Thomas delivered a dominant performance, scoring 27 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out eight assists, leading the Phoenix Mercury to a commanding 88-72 victory over the Washington Mystics on Sunday night.
The turning point came in the third quarter when Phoenix outscored Washington 26-12, flipping a close game into a 10-point lead. The Mercury continued to build on their momentum early in the fourth, extending their advantage to 17. Despite a brief 9-0 run by the Mystics, Phoenix responded with an 8-0 run of their own, putting the game out of reach.
In addition to Thomas’ standout performance, Satou Sabally chipped in 15 points, while Kitija Laksa and Monique Akoa Makani both contributed 13. Natasha Mack added 10 points, helping Phoenix improve to 16-9 on the season.
For Washington (12-13), Shakira Austin led the way with 20 points, while Jade Melbourne and Sonia Citron each scored 13. The Mystics had come off a victory over Seattle the night before but were unable to keep pace with Phoenix’s second-half surge.
The game started with high intensity as Melbourne’s driving layup in the closing seconds gave the Mystics a 23-21 lead after the first quarter. The opening period saw 10 lead changes, with both teams battling for control. Washington held a narrow lead throughout the second, finishing the first half with a 46-42 advantage.
However, Phoenix came out of the break strong. Akoa Makani’s three-pointer gave the Mercury their first lead of the second half at 49-48. After a brief stoppage in play with 3:29 left in the third due to security addressing a fan issue near the Phoenix bench, the Mercury used the break to rally. They finished the quarter strong, with Thomas hitting a jumper in the final seconds to push Phoenix to a 68-58 lead heading into the fourth.
The Mystics could not recover, as the Mercury kept their foot on the gas to seal the victory.
