Copper scores 34 as Mercury beat Wings

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kahleah Copper scored 34 points, including a late 3-pointer, and Brittney Griner added 24 points to help the Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 104-96 Wednesday night.

Phoenix was up 61-43 early in the third quarter after a three-point play by Griner before Dallas got to within 99-96 on two free throws by Arike Ogunbowale with 1:54 left.

Those would be the last points the Wings would score as Dallas missed two shots over the next 80 seconds. Copper then sealed the win hitting a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left.

Diana Taurasi finished with 16 points and Rebecca Allen scored 14 for Phoenix (10-10). Natasha Cloud added 10 points and 10 assists.

Natasha Howard scored 14 of her career-high 36 points in the third quarter — and the Wings scored 33 points, their highest-scoring quarter this season as they trimmed the 18-point deficit.

Dallas (4-16) has dropped 14 of its past 15 games.

Ogunbowale scored 26 points for the Wings and Odyssey Sims added 14. The 32-year-old Howard made 11 of 15 from the field, 13 of 17 from the free-throw line and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Dallas won 107-92 in Phoenix on May 25, while the Mercury outlasted the Wings in a 97-90 double-overtime road victory on June 9.

The Mercury, who had dropped back-to-back games and three of their past four, have played four games in the past six days.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball