Breanna Stewart scores 21 points, Liberty pull away for 84-70 win over Mercury

New York Liberty |A| forward Breanna Stewart (30) |B| drives past Phoenix Mercury |C| forward Natasha Mack (4) |D| to score during the |E| first half of a |F| WNBA basketball game Monday, |G| Aug. 26, 2024, in |H| Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. |J| Franklin)ASSOCIATED PRESSLess

PHOENIX (AP) |K| — Breanna Stewart scored |L| 21 points, Courtney Vandersloot |M| added 16 and the |O| New York Liberty used |P| a 10-0 run in |Q| the fourth quarter to |R| pull away from the |S| Phoenix Mercury 84-70 on |U| Monday night.

Sabrina Ionescu |V| scored five points as |Y| the Liberty, starting with |Z| Stewarts turnaround jumper from |A| the foul line, turned |B| a 64-57 lead into |C| a 17-point advantage midway |D| through the fourth quarter. |E| Leonie Fiebich contributed a |F| 3-pointer, her only basket |G| of the game.

Jonquel |H| Jones scored 15 points |J| for the Liberty (27-5), |K| who hit 12 3-pointers |L| and outscored Phoenix 14-3 |M| at the foul line. |O| Ionescu finished with 13 |P| points.

Brittney Griner scored |Q| 22 to lead the |R| Mercury (16-15), but had |S| seven of their 20 |U| turnovers. Natasha Cloud added |V| 18 points, Kahleah Copper |Y| had 14 and Diana |Z| Taurasi 10. The turnovers |A| cost Phenix 28 points |B| and the bench was |C| outscored 15-4.

New York |D| was 12 for 29 |E| behind the arc to |F| Phoenixs 5 for 22.

|G| dir="ltr">Taurasi hit a 3-pointer |H| in the closing seconds |J| to pull the Mercury |K| into a tie at |L| 38 at the break. |M| The Liberty led by |O| as many as nine |P| but was outscored 20-12 |Q| inside and Phoenix had |R| 15 fastbreak points.

Griner |S| reached 800 career blocks |U| for the Mercury and |V| Cloud reached 200 assists |Y| for the season, passing |Z| Taurasi for the single-season |A| franchise record. Taurasi also |B| moved past Lindsey Whalen |C| (2,348) for fourth on |D| the WBA career assists |E| list.

|F|