Taurasi scores 27, carries Mercury past Sky, 106-99

Taurasi carries Mercury past Sky, 106-99

CHICAGO — Diana Taurasi scored 27 points and led a late charge that carried the Phoenix Mercury to a 106-99 victory over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night.

Taurasi hit two 3-pointers in a 50-second span during the final two minutes as the Western Conference leaders (18-8) pulled away after a seesaw fourth quarter.

Shyra Ely scored a career-high 26 points starting in place of injured center Sylvia Fowles, but Chicago (13-13) lost for only the third time in 13 tries on its home court. Kristi Toliver added 22 points.

Cappie Pondexter had 23 points for Phoenix, followed by DeWanna Bonner (14), Penny Taylor (13) and Tangela Smith (10).

Taurasi scored 10 points in the opening quarter as Phoenix claimed a 27-20 lead. Toliver jump-started Chicago early in the second quarter with 10 points in five minutes. Ely, making only her third start of the season, added seven points as the Sky grabbed a lead midway through the period on the way to a 48-46 halftime edge.

Chicago never trailed in the third, but Phoenix tied it at 67 on a pair of free throws by Nicole Ohlde with 1:54 left. The Sky replied with five points from Toliver and K.B. Sharp’s bucket to take a 74-69 lead by quarter’s end.

Fowles, Chicago’s leading rebounder, was sidelined by a sprained ankle. She joined Mercury stars Taurasi and Pondexter among eight players chosen on Tuesday to the 2009-2012 USA Basketball Women’s national team.