Copper Shines, Thomas Triple-Doubles as Mercury Extend Sky’s Losing Streak

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On Sunday night in Chicago, the Phoenix Mercury delivered a dominant performance to defeat the struggling Chicago Sky 83-67, handing the Sky their eighth consecutive loss. Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 25 points, while Alyssa Thomas notched a triple-double—her second with the Mercury and the 13th of her WNBA regular-season career. Thomas’s stat line included 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, as Phoenix (17-11) pulled away in the second and third quarters. After a sluggish start in which the Mercury shot just 5-of-25 in the opening frame, the team rebounded with a 12-of-15 shooting display in the second quarter to take a 42-34 halftime lead. The Mercury outscored the Sky 56-32 during the second and third quarters combined, at one point extending their lead to 24 points. Sami Whitcomb added 11 points for Phoenix, while the team dominated in fastbreak points (30 to 3) and outscored Chicago 46-34 in the paint. Notably absent from the Mercury lineup was All-Star forward Satou Sabally, who missed the game due to personal reasons. The Sky (7-21) struggled without rookie sensation Angel Reese, who missed her second straight game and fourth in five contests with a back injury. Elizabeth Williams led Chicago with 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Kamilla Cardoso recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Michaela Onyenwere added 13 points, but Chicago's offense faltered, shooting just 33.3% from the field and losing the rebounding battle 45-40. Adding a personal subplot to the game, sisters Maddy and Kathryn Westbeld faced off for the second time this season.

Maddy, a rookie for the Sky, scored nine points in 22 minutes, while Kathryn went scoreless in six minutes off the bench for Phoenix. Kathryn had tallied 13 points in their previous matchup, a Mercury win. Phoenix’s win marked a return to form after dropping five of their previous six games, while Chicago continues to slide further down the standings. With the postseason approaching, the Mercury are working to solidify their position, and performances like Sunday’s may help reignite their campaign.