Plum, Wilson’s big nights fuel Aces win over Sparks, snap 2-game losing skid | CBC Sports

Kelsey Plum scored 29 points, A’ja Wilson had 25 points, 11 rebounds and four steals, and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Los Angeles Sparks 79-73 on Monday night in Los Angeles.

Dearica Hamby made her first field goal of the game with 1:16 remaining to give Las Vegas a 76-73 lead and Plum added two free throws on the their next possession for a five-point advantage.

Jackie Young added nine points and seven assists and Plum had five assists and three steals for Las Vegas (14-4), which snapped a two-game losing streak. Plum was nine of 11 from the free-throw line and Wilson made eight of nine. The Aces were without starting guard Chelsea Gray, averaging 12.5 points and six assists, due to personal reasons.

Wilson had 17 points and six rebounds in the first half as Las Vegas led 40-36.

Nneka Ogwumike had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles (7-11). Lexie Brown scored 17 points, Liz Cambage had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Brittney Sykes had 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Taurasi’s hot hand leads Mercury to win

Diana Taurasi scored 27 points with a season-high seven three-pointers, Skylar Diggins-Smith added 17 points and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Indiana Fever 83-71 on Monday night in Phoenix.

Taurasi made three three-pointers in the opening four minutes and finished seven of 15 from distance to reach the 20-point plateau for the seventh time this season.

Sophie Cunningham, in her fourth start of the season, had 16 points and Diamond DeShields scored 11 for Phoenix (8-12), which hosts Indiana on Wednesday.

Cunningham scored the final five points of the first half to help Phoenix lead 45-41 at the break. Cunningham and Taurasi each scored 13 points in the first half. Cunningham made her fourth three-pointer of the game to extend Phoenix’s advantage to 77-65 with 2:50 remaining.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points for Indiana (5-15). NaLyssa Smith had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Emma Cannon and Victoria Vivians each scored 12.