Taurasi hits 8 3-pointers, breaks WNBA career record in Mercury victory

Published Jun. 2, 2017 11:35 a.m. ET

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Diana Taurasi tied a career high with eight 3-pointers and broke a tie for the WNBA's career record, leading the Phoenix Mercury to a 99-91 victory over the Chicago Sky on Thursday night.

Taurasi entered the game tied with Katie Smith with 906 3-pointers, and broke the mark early in the first quarter.

Taurasi was 9 of 15 from the field, with only one 2-point shot, and scored 37 points to move into second place on the league's career scoring list. It was her highest points total since 2010.

Brittney Griner added 28 points and 13 rebounds for Phoenix (4-2), and Leilani Mitchell scored 14 points as the trio combined to score 79 points. They had 42 of the Mercury's 50 points in the first half.

Chicago had an 87-85 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but Taurasi scored eight points on the next three Phoenix possessions to make it 93-87. The Sky went scoreless for over four minutes down the stretch.

Stefanie Dolson made her first six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 21 points for Chicago (1-6). Allie Quigley added 18 points, and Cappie Pondexter had 10 points and eight assists.

It was a high-scoring first quarter as Pondexter's layup at the buzzer gave Chicago a 30-28 lead. The Sky hit their first seven shots, and Phoenix's opening 21 points all came from Taurasi and Griner.

Taurasi's 37-point night upped her career total to 7,399 points, 89 shy of the WNBA's all-time leader Tina Thompson (7,488).