New-look Mercury fall to Dallas in season opener

PHOENIX — Rookie Kaela Davis scored 20 points, and the Dallas Wings beat the Phoenix Mercury 68-58 on Sunday in the season opener for both teams.

Davis, a first-round draft pick from NCAA champion South Carolina, went 6 of 10 from the field and 8 of 8 from the line and did not miss a shot until the fourth quarter. Allisha Gray, another first-round pick from South Carolina, added 11 points.

Dallas, ranked ninth in the AP preseason poll, has five rookie draft picks, the most since Minnesota had six in 2000.

Phoenix, with 10 new players on its roster, raced to an 11-point lead midway through the first quarter but Dallas quickly erased that and the game was tight until the Wings went up by 12 late in the fourth quarter. Davis and Skylar Diggins-Smith had four points apiece before Karima Christmas-Kelly scored to cap a 10-0 run that put Dallas up 66-54 with 2:20 to play.

The Wings went 17 of 20 from the line, to 8 of 15 for Phoenix, and had a 41-17 rebounding advantage.

Brittney Griner led Phoenix, ranked sixth in the poll, with 18 points. Diana Taurasi went 1 of 11 and scored three points.