SAN ANTONIO(AP) Sophia Young scored 25 points and Becky Hammon added 14 as the San Antonio Silver Stars beat the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 81-76 on Tuesday night.

Cappie Pondexter led the Mercury (0-2) with 23 points, and Diana Taurasi had 20.

Erin Buescher scored 13 points, Helen Darling added 12 and Ruth Riley had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Silver Stars (1-1).

After trailing by eight early, San Antonio jumped to an 11-point halftime lead after Phoenix went 2-of-15 from the floor in the second quarter.

The Mercury trimmed the lead to eight points heading into the final quarter on Taurasi's 3-of-6 shooting in the period and had it down to 69-63 on Pondexter's 3-pointer with 5:15 to go.

But Taurasi was called for a technical foul on the Mercury's next possession after arguing when she missed a shot near the basket that could have cut the lead to four points.

Hammon made the free throw and San Antonio kept possession to set up a basket in the lane by Young for a 72-63 lead with 4:30 left.

Phoenix led by eight points in the first quarter after San Antonio opened the game shooting 1-of-7 from the floor.

But the Mercury could not overcome their poor shooting in the second quarter. The Silver Stars took their first lead at 23-21 on Darling's 3-point shot with 5:24 before halftime, and had a 42-31 advantage at the break.