Satou Sabally scores 25 points, Mercury make 18 3s, WNBA record 35 in 2 games, to beat Liberty

PHOENIX (AP) — Satou Sabally scored 25 points and the Phoenix Mercury set a team record for 3-pointers in the second straight game — and broke a WNBA record in the process — in a 106-91 victory over the New York Liberty on Friday night.

Alyssa Thomas, who had 17 points, matched the Phoenix record of 15 assists for the second time and finished a rebound short of her 12th regular-season triple-double. The Mercury had a franchise record 30 assists on 41 baskets.

The Mercury (12-6) finished 18 of 39 behind the arc a game after hitting 17 3s in a win over Chicago. The 35 3s in consecutive games is a WNBA record. The league record for 3s in the regular season is 19, which the Liberty hit twice this season.

Sabally went 7 of 10 from distance and Sami Whitcomb was 5 of 7 for 15 points. Kitija Laksa added 13 points and Kahleah Copper 12 as Phoenix won its sixth straight.

Breanna Stewart scored 17 points, Nyara Sabally, in her first start against her sister, had a career-high 16 points and Natasha Cloud added 15 for the Liberty (11-4), who have lost four of five games, starting with an 89-81 home loss to the Mercury eight days ago.

The Liberty were 8 of 18 from 3-point range and were outscored by 13 at the foul line, although both teams shot better than 50% from the field.

Stewart, who had five points at halftime when the Liberty trailed 61-43, had 10 in the third quarter. She scored six-straight points to pull New York within 68-61. But the 3s just kept raining down and the Mercury led 88-72 with 16 triples entering the fourth quarter.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball