The phoenix mercury vs connecticut sun match player stats from July 19, 2026 show a 72-63 Mercury win at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. Both clubs entered the night near the bottom of the WNBA standings, with the Sun at 7-19 and the Mercury at 8-18. Connecticut played without Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers, and Aaliyah Edwards left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. DeWanna Bonner’s season-high 21 points and a second-half surge from Kahleah Copper decided the result and snapped a five-game Mercury losing streak.
Match Overview
| Category | Details |
| Date | July 19, 2026 |
| Venue | Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ |
| Competition | WNBA Regular Season |
| Final Score | Phoenix Mercury 72, Connecticut Sun 63 |
| Records Entering | Mercury 8-18, Sun 7-19 |
Pre-Match Context
Connecticut arrived in Phoenix off a 96-83 win over the same Mercury team two nights earlier, the first of a back-to-back series in Arizona. The Sun needed a split at minimum to protect momentum, while Phoenix was chasing its first win in six games. Natasha Mack returned for the Mercury after an eight-game absence with a foot injury, giving Phoenix another body inside. Connecticut played shorthanded, missing Aneesah Morrow, who sat out for reconditioning, and Saniya Rivers, who did not play because of an ankle and foot issue. Aaliyah Edwards then left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and never returned, thinning Connecticut’s frontcourt further as the game wore on.
Quarter by Quarter Score
| Quarter | Sun | Mercury |
| 1st | 12 | 18 |
| 2nd | 21 | 25 |
| 3rd | 16 | 11 |
| 4th | 14 | 18 |
| Total | 63 | 72 |
Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
1st Quarter
Olivia Nelson-Ododa opened the scoring with a layup off a Leila Lacan assist. Phoenix answered through DeWanna Bonner and Monique Akoa Makani, and the Mercury built an 18-12 lead by the end of the period. Natasha Mack closed the quarter with a hook shot off a Kahleah Copper assist in the final seconds.
2nd Quarter
Connecticut cut into the deficit behind Kennedy Burke and Leila Lacan three-pointers, briefly tying the game at 29 and taking a short lead at 27-26. Phoenix responded with a 3-pointer from Monique Akoa Makani and back-to-back baskets from DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Mack to push the lead back to 43-33 at halftime. Phoenix shot 50 percent from the field in the first half with 12 assists on 17 made shots.
3rd Quarter
Brittney Griner scored consecutive baskets to cut Phoenix’s lead to three points early in the quarter. Connecticut kept pace behind Kennedy Burke, but DeWanna Bonner and Kahleah Copper answered every Sun run. The Mercury outscored Connecticut 11-16 in the frame and still led 54-49 heading into the fourth.
4th Quarter
Nell Angloma and Charlisse Leger-Walker trimmed the Mercury lead to one point with 4:42 left after a Leger-Walker three-point play. Kahleah Copper answered with a driving layup and two free throws to push the lead back to five. DeWanna Bonner added a layup off an Alyssa Thomas alley-oop and an and-one free throw for an eight-point cushion with 1:44 remaining, and Phoenix closed out the 72-63 win.
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | Sun | Mercury |
| Field Goals | 22-58 (37.9%) | 26-63 (41.3%) |
| 3-Pointers | 4-14 (28.6%) | 2-15 (13.3%) |
| Free Throws | 15-19 (78.9%) | 18-23 (78.3%) |
| Rebounds | 43 | 39 |
| Assists | 13 | 19 |
| Turnovers | 21 | 14 |
Key Numbers That Decided the Game
The numbers show a game Phoenix won on ball security and a strong first half rather than outside shooting.
- Phoenix scored 22 points off Connecticut’s season-high 21 turnovers.
- The Mercury shot just 13.3 percent from three but still won by nine points.
- Phoenix built its cushion in the first half, leading by 10 points at the break.
- Connecticut out-rebounded Phoenix 43-39 but could not close the turnover gap.
- Alyssa Thomas recorded 11 assists to go with 6 rebounds for the Mercury.
Full Box Score – Phoenix Mercury
DeWanna Bonner led all scorers with a season-high 21 points and also became the franchise’s all-time rebounding leader during the win. Kahleah Copper scored 18 points, with 12 coming in the second half, and Alyssa Thomas ran the offense with 11 assists. Monique Akoa Makani and Natasha Mack added scoring and rebounding off the bench.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
| DeWanna Bonner | 21 | 6 | N/A | 7-13 |
| Kahleah Copper | 18 | 4 | 4 | N/A |
| Alyssa Thomas | 7 | 6 | 11 | 2-9 |
| Monique Akoa Makani | 11 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Natasha Mack | 4 | 5 | N/A | N/A |
Full Box Score – Connecticut Sun
Brittney Griner led Connecticut with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting in her second game against her former team since leaving Phoenix after the 2024 season. Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Leila Lacan struggled with a career-high nine turnovers after her 26-point outing two nights earlier.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | FG |
| Brittney Griner | 19 | 5 | N/A | 7-12 |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | 12 | 12 | 3 | N/A |
| Leila Lacan | 7 | 4 | N/A | 2-9 |
| Charlisse Leger-Walker | N/A | N/A | 5 | N/A |
| Nell Angloma | 8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Game Leaders and Top Performers
DeWanna Bonner scored a season-high 21 points and passed Brittney Griner as the Mercury’s all-time leading rebounder during the game. Kahleah Copper provided the closing punch, scoring 12 of her 18 points after halftime to answer every Connecticut push. Brittney Griner kept the Sun competitive with 19 points and five rebounds against her old team. Olivia Nelson-Ododa turned in the game’s only double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
| Player | Team | PTS | REB | AST |
| DeWanna Bonner | Mercury | 21 | 6 | N/A |
| Kahleah Copper | Mercury | 18 | 4 | 4 |
| Brittney Griner | Sun | 19 | 5 | N/A |
| Olivia Nelson-Ododa | Sun | 12 | 12 | 3 |
Starting Lineups
| Position | Mercury | Sun |
| Guard | Kahleah Copper | Leila Lacan |
| Guard | Monique Akoa Makani | Charlisse Leger-Walker |
| Forward | Alyssa Thomas | Diamond Miller |
| Forward | DeWanna Bonner | Olivia Nelson-Ododa |
| Forward/Center | Noemie Brochant | Brittney Griner |
Injury Report
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Aaliyah Edwards | Knee | Left game in 1st quarter, did not return |
| Aneesah Morrow | Reconditioning | Did not play |
| Saniya Rivers | Ankle/foot | Did not play |
| Natasha Mack | Foot | Played, returned from 8-game absence |
Connecticut’s absences compounded as the game progressed. Losing Aaliyah Edwards to a knee injury in the first quarter removed a rotation piece up front, while the Sun were already down two guards in Morrow and Rivers. Phoenix, by contrast, got a lift from Natasha Mack’s return, and she delivered 4 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.
Season Series and Head to Head
The two teams split a home-and-home set in Phoenix on July 17 and July 19, 2026, with each club winning one game.
| Date | Result |
| July 17, 2026 | Connecticut Sun 96, Phoenix Mercury 83 |
| July 19, 2026 | Phoenix Mercury 72, Connecticut Sun 63 |
Conference Standings
As of August 1, 2026, Connecticut sat seventh in the WNBA’s overall standings at 7-22, last in the Eastern Conference. Phoenix sat fifth overall at 11-18 in the Western Conference after a run of form following this win.
| Team | Conference | Record | League Standing |
| Phoenix Mercury | Western | 11-18 | 5th overall |
| Connecticut Sun | Eastern | 7-22 | 7th overall |
Broadcast and Stream Information
| Date | Network | Streaming |
| July 19, 2026 | ESPN | Disney+ |
FAQ
Who won the Phoenix Mercury vs Connecticut Sun game on July 19, 2026?
The Phoenix Mercury won 72-63 over the Connecticut Sun at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, snapping a five-game Mercury losing streak in the process.
Who led the Mercury in scoring?
DeWanna Bonner led Phoenix with a season-high 21 points, adding six rebounds in 29 minutes and passing Brittney Griner as the franchise’s all-time rebounding leader.
Who led the Sun in scoring? Brittney Griner led Connecticut with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, along with five rebounds and two blocks against her former team.
Did any player record a double-double?
Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded the game’s only double-double, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Sun.
Why did Aaliyah Edwards not finish the game?
Aaliyah Edwards left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return, thinning Connecticut’s frontcourt for the rest of the game.
How did the two teams split their recent series?
The Sun and Mercury split a home-and-home set in Phoenix, with Connecticut winning 96-83 on July 17 and Phoenix winning 72-63 on July 19.
Where can fans watch Mercury and Sun games?
The July 19 game aired on ESPN and streamed on Disney+, the standard national broadcast outlets for WNBA games this season.
Conclusion
The win moved Phoenix a step further from the bottom of the Western Conference and ended a five-game skid, while Connecticut’s loss extended its struggles near the bottom of the East. Ball security decided the outcome, as the Mercury turned Sun turnovers into easy points and built a first-half lead that held up despite a poor shooting night from three. DeWanna Bonner’s franchise rebounding milestone against her former team added extra meaning to the result. Phoenix next visits Los Angeles, while Connecticut travels to Indiana as both teams try to climb out of the lower half of the standings.
