McBride Scores 27 Points, Aces Top Mercury


PHOENIX (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 27 points, A’ja Wilson had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 85-82 on Thursday night.

McBride made a steal and fast-break layup to give the Aces an 83-79 lead. Wilson added a scoop shot in the lane to make it 85-82 with 21.8 seconds left. The Aces pressured the Mercury into a timeout with 13.2 seconds remaining before Diana Taurasi missed a 3-pointer. Phoenix got the ball back but turned it over in the lane.

McBride scored 14 points in the first half and Wilson added 10 as Las Vegas (11-13) led 46-37.

Taurasi scored a season-high 33 points for Phoenix (15-9), which began a four-game homestand. Brittney Griner had 19 points and 10 rebounds to become the Mercury’s leader in career double-doubles with 34. Griner also blocked one shot to tie Tammy Sutton-Brown for sixth on the WNBA list with 555. Margo Dydek (1998-08) holds the record at 877.