Arizona Digest: Phoenix Mercury outperformed by Dallas Wings rookies in road loss

Summer is here in Arizona, and there’s plenty of activity. Phoenix Rising FC's USL Championship soccer and Arizona Rattlers seasons are in full swing, along with the new women's soccer club Desert Dreams FC.

Here are the news and events happening around Arizona sports.

Phoenix Mercury outperformed by Dallas Wings rookies in road loss 

The Dallas Wings made WNBA history with four rookies in the starting lineup for the first time since 2000 and didn’t ease off against the Phoenix Mercury. 

The Mercury (12-6), who came in with the second-best WNBA record, were uncharacteristically slow in the first quarter and couldn’t find their footing in the 98-89 loss on July 3.  

Kahleah Copper scored a season-high of 33 points to go with five rebounds. Copper went 4 of 7 from the 3-point line and made half of her team’s eight 3-pointers.  

Paige Bueckers once again was a problem for the Mercury, often drawing more than one defender, which opened the floor for rookie forward Aziaha James.  

James led the Wings with 28 points and knocked down five 3-pointers on nine shots. The Wings built an 18-point lead at the half in part due to James going 3 of 3 from beyond the arc in the second quarter and posting 13 points.  

Bueckers added 23 points and was 8 of 11 from the floor. 

Copper’s 12 points in the first five minutes helped the Mercury cut the deficit to single figures in the third quarter, but the Wings continued getting to the line and built an 11-point lead going into the fourth.  

The Mercury dealt with foul trouble in the fourth with three key players with four or more: Copper had five fouls, while Satou Sabally and Sami Whitcomb had four each.  

Alyssa Thomas tallied seven rebounds, but the Mercury still struggled to grab rebounds against the Wings. The Mercury were outrebounded 38-26. 

The loss knocked head coach Nate Tibbetts out of being one of the coaches for the upcoming All-Star Game, which has the two coaches from the league’s two best teams. 

The Mercury will head back to PHX Arena to face the Wings again Monday, July 7, at 7 p.m.  

--Jenna Ortiz

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury outperformed by Wings rookies in road loss