PHOENIX, Ariz. (July 7, 2025) — The Dallas Wings couldn’t contain the offensive onslaught of the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night, falling 102–72 at PHX Arena. The loss drops the Wings to 6–14 on the season while the red-hot Mercury improved to 13–6, continuing their ascent in the Western Conference standings.
Phoenix veteran Sami Whitcomb delivered a career night, exploding for 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. The 35-year-old guard scored 29 in the first half alone, setting the tone early for a Mercury squad that never trailed. Alyssa Thomas added a dominant triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists, showcasing her all-around brilliance.
For Dallas, rookie JJ Quinerly paced the offense with a career-high 18 points, hitting four threes and dishing out five assists. Aziaha James extended her streak of double-digit scoring games to seven with 15 points, while Teaira McCowan chipped in nine points and tied for the game-high with 10 rebounds.
Mercury Set the Tone Early
Phoenix wasted no time asserting themselves. Whitcomb was unstoppable in the first quarter, pouring in 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting as the Mercury opened a 28–19 lead. The Wings struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting just 40% from the field and a paltry 20% from three. Paige Bueckers led Dallas with five points in the opening period, but no Wings player managed more than two field goals.
Despite the slow start, Dallas hung around in the second quarter. A 6–0 run sparked by James trimmed the deficit to six midway through the frame, but Phoenix quickly answered with a spurt of their own to reestablish a double-digit cushion. Whitcomb added 10 more in the period, finishing the half with 29 points as the Mercury took a 52–39 lead into the break.
Phoenix Pulls Away in the Third
The game was essentially decided in the third quarter, where the Mercury unleashed a 19–0 run that ballooned their lead to 29 points. Myisha Hines-Allen finally broke the drought with a corner three, and Teaira McCowan followed with her second career triple, but the damage had been done.
Phoenix shot 50% from the field in the quarter while Dallas hit just 27.8%, despite connecting on four of eight attempts from beyond the arc. McCowan led Dallas in the frame with eight points, but the Wings’ defense had no answers for Phoenix’s relentless ball movement and perimeter shooting.
Final Push Falls Short
Dallas started the fourth with an 8–0 burst that briefly cut into the deficit, prompting a Mercury timeout. Phoenix calmly responded with a 12–5 counterpunch and cruised the rest of the way. Quinerly added eight points in the final frame to finish as Dallas’ top scorer, but the gap was too wide to close.
On the night, Dallas shot 36% from the field and 33.3% from deep while committing 18 turnovers that led to 24 Mercury points. The Wings did win the rebounding battle (44–43) for the third consecutive game but were outplayed in nearly every other phase — including fast break points (14–6), points in the paint (38–34), and second-chance points (12–10).
Looking Ahead
The Wings continue their road swing on Wednesday as they travel to Chicago to face the Sky. Tipoff from Wintrust Arena is set for 7 p.m. CT, with the broadcast airing locally on KFAA29 and streaming on WNBA League Pass.
Injuries continue to pile up for Dallas, who were again without star guard Arike Ogunbowale (left thumb), Ty Harris (left knee), Maddy Siegrist (right knee), and DiJonai Carrington (ribs). As the season approaches its midpoint, the Wings will look to regroup and rediscover their identity in the face of adversity.
