Aces shatter WNBA record with 711st-half points in rout of Liberty

A'ja Wilson scored 20 of her 25 points in a record-breaking first half to help the Las Vegas Aces rout the New York Liberty 108-74 on Thursday.

Las Vegas (17-7) jumped all over New York, scoring the first 12 points on the way to a 37-13 lead after one quarter. Chelsea Gray had 11 of her 16 points in the opening period, making three 3-pointers. Las Vegas was a sizzling 14 for 18 from the field, including making seven of eight 3s.

The Aces extended the advantage in the second quarter and were up 71-36 at the half.

Their total was the most ever scored in the first half of a WNBA game, surpassing the previous record of 69 tallied by Phoenix against Minnesota in 2010.

It also came roughly 40 hours after New York put up a league-record 73 points in the second half of Tuesday's 107-101 loss to the Aces.

Kelsey Plum added 21 points, scoring 17 of them in the first half.

This was the third meeting between the teams in the past eight days and each game had a record offensive performance. The Liberty won the meeting in Las Vegas 116-107 which was the highest scoring game in regulation in WNBA history.

Natasha Howard scored 19 points to lead New York (9-15), which is playing three straight matinee games over the next week.

Wings holds off Lynx

Arike Ogunbowale scored 32 points and the Dallas Wings saw most of a 21-point halftime lead disappear before holding off the Minnesota Lynx 92-87 on Thursday night.

Ogunbowale hit four 3-pointers and was 12-for-24 from the field for Dallas (11-13). She had 19 points in the first half to help the Wings take a 48-27 lead into intermission.

Minnesota (9-16) stormed back in the third quarter behind reserve Rachel Banham and Sylvia Fowles.

Banham sank 2 of 3 free throws after a flagrant 1 foul on Dallas' Tyasha Harris, then hit a layup and two more foul shots to cut the deficit to 58-53. Fowles — who finished with 17 rebounds — scored 10 of her 20 points in the period and the Lynx closed within 62-57 by quarter's end.

Banham scored 16 of her 24 points in the final 4:30 of the fourth quarter, twice getting Minnesota within three points, but Allisha Gray, who scored 17, and Ogunbowale both hit two free throws in the final 17.6 seconds to preserve the win.

Mercury rally to beat Mystics

Diana Taurasi scored 29 points, Skylar Diggins-Smith added 24 and the Phoenix Mercury rallied for an 80-75 victory over the Washington Mystics on Thursday night.

Taurasi sank five 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds for Phoenix (11-15), which trailed 26-11 after the first quarter. Taurasi scored 13 of the Mercury's 32 points in the second quarter to get Phoenix within 45-43 at the half.

Diggins-Smith had nine assists and made all eight of her free throws — the final two with 15.8 seconds left to cap the scoring. Sophie Cunningham scored 10 of her 13 points in the second period and had seven rebounds.

Elena Delle Donne finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for Washington (15-11). Ariel Atkins added 14.

Gardner powers Sky past Sparks

Rookie Rebekah Gardner came off the bench to score 18 points and grab 10 rebounds to lift the Chicago Sky to an 80-68 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night.

Gardner hit 8 of 11 shots, had four offensive boards and four assists to help Chicago improve to a WNBA-best 18-6. Fellow reserve Azura Stevens scored 14, hitting 6 of 7 shots with two 3-pointers. Candace Parker had 11 rebounds but missed all 11 of her shots and didn't score.

Nneka Ogwumike had 16 points and eight rebounds for Los Angeles (10-14), while younger sister Chiney Ogwumike added 14 points and 13 boards. Katie Lou Samuelson and Brittney Sykes both scored 12.

The Sky trailed 17-16 after one quarter before outscoring the Sparks 52-31 over the next two.

Chicago has won three straight and eight of its last nine, while Los Angeles has lost three straight.