Diggins and 24 points and franchise record-tying 14 assists as Storm edge Mercury 77-70

SEATTLE (AP) — Skylar Diggins had 24 points and a career-high 14 assists, and the Seattle Storm scored the last seven points to beat the Phoenix Mercury 77-70 on Friday night.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points for Seattle, which avenged a season-opening 81-59 blowout in Phoenix last Saturday when the Storm had their lowest scoring game in four seasons.

Gabby Williams added 11 points for Storm (2-1) in their home opener. Diggins’ assists tied Sue Bird’s franchise record.

Alyssa Thomas had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Mercury (2-1) to pass Rebekkah Brunson for 10th on the WNBA’s all-time list with her 82nd double-double. Satou Sabally added 15 points and rookie Monique Akoa Makani scored a career-high 14.

Akoa Makani had a layup and back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 70 with 4:46 to play but the Mercury suffered their second dry spell of the second half, missing their last six shots — with Diggins and Ogwumike both getting blocks at the basket — with two turnovers.

Diggins hit a jumper for the lead and then Ogwumike made a pair of layups, t he first on Diggins’ last assist, for a 76-70 lead before Diggins added a free throw to make it a three-possession game with 28 seconds remaining.

Phoenix was up 61-54 late in the third quarter but did not make a field goal for eight minutes, going 0 for 10, and the Storm scored 12 straight points. But Seattle only led 67-62 with Akoa Makani’s layup ended the drought.

There were seven ties and eight lead changes and the big lead for both teams was seven points.

Up next

Phoenix hosts Washington on Sunday, and Las Vegas visits Seattle.

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