Sami Whitcomb had season highs of 14 points and four 3-pointers and the Phoenix Mercury made a season-high 15 3-pointers in a 101-69 wire-to-wire victory over the visiting Toronto Tempo on Saturday.
Noemie Brochant scored 15 points and Alyssa Thomas had 12 assists for the Mercury (14-26), who broke a four-game losing streak and had six players score in double figures.
The Mercury made 15 of 34 3-pointers. Whitcomb made 4 of 6, Kara Dunn finished 3 of 5 and Lexi Held sank 3 of 7. The club’s previous season high was 13.
Isabelle Harrison had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Kiki Rice scored 14 points and Laura Juskaite added 10 points for the expansion Tempo (11-29), who have lost 16 of their last 17.
Harrison has scored in double figures in five consecutive games, with three double-doubles in that stretch. Rice has scored in double figures in nine straight games.
The Mercury led 58-35 at the half and pushed the advantage to as much as 47 in the fourth quarter.
Mercury rookie Shay Ciezki scored 15 points, Marta Suarez had 13 points, Maddy Westbeld had 12 and Held had 11. Dunn had nine points on three 3s in her WNBA debut.
The Mercury scored 49 bench points. They scored 28 fast-break points and converted 16 Toronto turnovers into 24 points.
Both teams played without their top scorers. Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (21.3 points per game) took part in pregame warmups but did not play due to a left ankle injury.
The injury-decimated Tempo were without Marina Mabrey (20.8 ppg), who missed her sixth straight game with a right adductor injury. Brittney Sykes (18.6), who has played only 17 games because of a left foot injury, was ruled out for the season on Aug. 21.
Mercury guard Kelsey Plum (left leg injury) missed her third straight game and has played only five of 10 since being acquired at the trade deadline.
The Mercury won the season series 2-1. They are a league-worst 6-14 at home. The Tempo are 4-16 on the road.
The WNBA will take a 17-day break following Sunday’s games for the FIBA World Cup. League play will resume Sept. 17.
–Field Level Media
