Satou Sabally’s 22 points leads Mercury to win over Aces in Kahleah Copper’s season debut

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Satou Sabally scored 22 points with nine rebounds, Alyssa Thomas added 14 points and 13 assists and the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Las Vegas Aces, still without MVP A’ja Wilson, 76-70 on Sunday.

Sami Whitcomb added 18 points off the bench, with her fourth 3-pointer proving critical, coming just 13 seconds after Jewell Loyd hit a 3-pointer to bring the Aces within three points with 1:37 to play.

Kahleah Copper scored 11 points in her first game of the season for the Mercury (8-4) after suffering a preseason knee injury. She had three buckets in the first 3:04 of the second half after she was held without a field goal in the first, capped by a nice find from new teammate Thomas.

We’ve been waiting 5 months to watch a play like this 🥹 https://t.co/R4SRaynQiN pic.twitter.com/JSdlnowBgt

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) June 15, 2025

Her start moved Whitcomb to the bench, where she helped the Phoenix second unit outscore that of the Aces 28-14 in the Commissioner’s Cup matchup.

Phoenix also scored twice as many points off turnovers, turning 22 Las Vegas turnovers into 22 points.

Chelsea Gray led the Aces (5-5) with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Loyd added 17 points and Jackie Young had 15. Wilson missed her second-straight game with a concussion suffered in a game on Wednesday.

Whitcomb and Lexi Held made back-to-back 3s to push the lead to 60-49 late the third quarter and the Mercury took a 60-54 lead into the fourth quarter.

Four free throws to start the final quarter got the Aces within two points, but Thomas and Whitcomb helped the Mercury answer every challenge.

The game was tied at 20 after a first quarter that included five lead changes and six ties but a 3-pointer from Sabally gave the Mercury a 27-24 lead and they stayed on top to take a 43-39 lead at the half.

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