PHOENIX MERCURY GAME NOTES #5 Phoenix Mercury (1-0) Vs
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PHOENIX MERCURY GAME NOTES #5 Phoenix Mercury (1-0) vs. #4 Minnesota Lynx (0-0) Playoff Game 2 | Thursday, September 17, 2020 IMG Academy | Bradenton, Fla. | 7:00 p.m. ET TV: ESPN2 Sr. Manager, Basketball Communications: Bryce Marsee [email protected] | Cell: (765) 618-0897 | @brycemarsee TONIGHT'S PROBABLE MERCURY STARTERS (2020 PLAYOFF AVERAGES) No. Name PPG RPG APG Notes Aquired by the Mercury in a sign-and-trade with Dallas on Feb. 12, 2020...named Western Conference Player of the Week on 9/8 for week of 8/31-9/6...finished 4 Skylar Diggins-Smith 24.0 6.0 5.0 the season ranked 7th in scoring, 10th in assists and tied for 4th in three-point G | 5-9 | 145 | Notre Dame '13 field goals (46)...scored a postseason career-high and team-high 24 points on 9/15 vs. WAS...picked up her first playoffs win over Washington on 9/15 WNBA's all-time leader in postseason scoring and ranks 3rd in all-time assists in the playoffs...6 assists shy of passing Sue Bird for 2nd on WNBA's all-time playoffs as- 3 Diana Taurasi 23.0 4.0 6.0 sists list...ranked 5th in the league in scoring and 8th in assists...led the WNBA in 3-pt G | 6-0 | 163 | Connecticut '04 field goals (61) this season, the 11th time she's led the league in 3-pt field goals... holds a perfect 7-0 record in single elimination games in the playoffs since 2016 Started in 10 games for the Mercury this season..scored a career-high 24 points on 9/11 against Seattle in a career-high 35 mimutes...also posted a 2 Shatori Walker-Kimbrough 8.0 2.0 0.0 career-high 5 steals this season in the 8/14 game against Atlanta...scored G | 6-1 | 170 | Missouri '19 in double figures 5 of the final 8 games of the regular season...scored 8 points in Mercury's Round 1 win on 9/15 vs. WAS Became 4th player in WNBA history (youngest ever) to record at least 11 re- bounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks in a postseason game, joining Lisa Leslie, Tamika Brianna Turner 4.0 Catchings and Candace Parker...grabbed a franchise record 21 rebounds on 9/9 21 F | 6-3 | 170 | Notre Dame '19 4.0 11.0 against CON, the first ever Mercury player with at least 20 rebounds in a game... (blks) averaged 12.6 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over last 10 games of regular season... ranked 1st in blocks per game (2.0), 1st in total blocks (43) and 2nd in FG% (57.9). Stared in 9 games for the Mercury this season...scored a season-high 16 points twice in back-to-back games on August 23 and 28 against Washington both 1 Kia Vaughn 12.0 4.0 1.0 times and grabbed season-high eight rebounds on August 2 against New C | 6-4 | 205 | Rutgers '09 York...scored 12 points on 9/15 vs. WAS, her most playoffs points since 12 on 9/1/10 2020 MERCURY SCHEDULE/RESULTS 2020 MERCURY PLAYOFF RECORDS DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME (TV) SEASON HOME ROAD OVERTIME 7/25 vs. Los Angeles L, 76-99 OVERALL 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 WEST 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 7/29 at Indiana L, 100-106 EAST 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 7/31 vs. Las Vegas W, 102-95 STREAK W1 W1 -- -- 8/2 at New York W, 96-67 8/4 at Atlanta W, 81-74 TONIGHT'S KEY STAT: Since the WNBA implemented the new, and 3-0 current, playoff format prior to the start of the 2016 season, the Mercury 8/6 vs. Chicago W, 96-86 is 3-0 in single elimination, second round, games and 7-1 overall in first 8/8 at Seattle L, 68-74 and second round games. With Diana Taurasi playing, the Mercury is 8/10 at Dallas W, 91-79 7-0 in such games. 8/12 at Chicago L, 71-89 PRONUNCIATION GUIDE: Sandy Brondello (braun-DELL-oh); Jessica Breeland 8/14 vs. Atlanta W, 96-80 (BREE-land); Nia (NEE-uh) Coffey; Alanna (uh-LON-uh) Smith; Diana Taurasi (tuh- rah-SEE); Kia (KEE-us) Vaughn; Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (kim-BRO) 8/16 vs. Dallas L, 89-95 8/19 at Los Angeles L, 74-83 INJURIES: Jessica Breland - NWT (Media Exemption for Season); Brittney Griner - NWT (Personal); Bria Hartley - NWT (Knee); Nia Coffey - OUT (Ankle) 8/21 vs. Minnesota L, 80-90 8/23 at Washington W, 88-87 2020 TRANSACTIONS: February 11: Traded F DeWanna Bonner to Connecticut in exchange for the 7th overall (via Seattle) and 10th overall picks in the 2020 WNBA 8/28 vs. Washington W, 94-72 Draft, as well as a future first round pick from Connecticut; February 12: Acquired G 8/30 at Minnesota W, 83-79 Skylar Diggins-Smith from Dallas in exchange for the 5th overall and 7th overall (via Seattle) picks in the 2020 WNBA Draft along with a future first round pick in a sign 9/1 at Las Vegas W, 92-85 and trade deal; February 13: Re-Signed C Brittney Griner to a multi-year contract; 9/3 vs. Indiana W, 105-81 Signed free agent G Bria Hartley to a contract; February 19: Acquired F Nia Coffey and F Jessica Breland from Atlanta in a three-team trade that sent G Briann January 9/5 vs. New York W, 83-67 and a 2021 second-round pick to Connecticut and a 2020 second-round pick to 9/7 vs. Connecticut L, 70-85 Atlanta; February 24: Signed free agent C Kia Vaughn to a contract; April 9: Signed 9/9 at Connecticut W. 100-95 (OT) G Olivia Epoupa and F Sara Blicavs to training camp contracts; April 17: Selected G Te’a Cooper (18th overall) and G Stella Johnson (29th overall) in the WNBA Draft; 9/11 vs. Seattle L, 60-83 Acquired G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough from New York on draft night in exchange - PLAYOFFS - for the 10th overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft; May 26: Waived G Olivia Epopua, F Sara Blicavs, G Te’a Cooper and G Stella Johnson; August 19: Signed G Shey 9/16 vs. Washington W, 85-84 Peddy; September 7: SIgned F Alisia Jenkins 9/17 at Minnesota 7 p.m. (ESPN2) *All Times Phoenix Time Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx • Thursday, September 17, 2020 • IMG Academy • PhoenixMercury.com 1 PHOENIX MERCURY ROSTER No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Exp From/Year 51 Jessica Breland F 6-2 166 02/23/1998 8 North Carolina/2011 10 Nia Coffey F 6-1 182 06/11/1995 3 Northwestern/2017 9 Sophie Cunningham G 6-1 170 08/16/1996 1 Missouri/2019 4 Skylar Diggins-Smith G 5-9 145 08/02/1990 6 Notre Dame/2013 42 Brittney Griner C 6-9 205 10/18/1990 7 Baylor/2013 14 Bria Hartley G 5-8 148 09/30/1992 6 Connecticut/2014 12 Alisia Jenkins F 6-1 175 02/21/1994 R South Florida/2016 11 Alanna Smith F 6-4 180 11/10/1996 1 Stanford/2019 5 Shey Peddy G 5-7 145 10/28/1988 1 Temple/2012 3 Diana Taurasi G 6-0 163 06/11/1982 15 Connecticut/2004 21 Brianna Turner F 6-3 170 07/05/1996 1 Notre Dame/2019 1 Kia Vaughn C 6-4 205 01/24/1987 10 Rutgers/2009 2 Shatori Walker-Kimbrough G 5-9 140 05/18/1995 3 Maryland/2017 HEAD COACH: Sandy Brondello (Australia) ASSISTANT COACHES: Julie Hairgrove (Arizona), Chasity Melvin (NC State) PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COACH: Zach O'Brien (Saint Joseph's College of Maine) HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER: Hannah Breck (Boston University) STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH: Derrick Nillessen (Iowa Wesleyan) NUMERICAL ROSTER 1 Kia Vaughn 9 Sophie Cunningham 21 Brianna Turner 2 Shatori Walker-Kimbrough 10 Nia Coffey 42 Brittney Griner 3 Diana Taurasi 11 Alanna Smith 51 Jessica Breland 4 Skylar Diggins-Smith 12 Alisia Jenkins 5 Shey Peddy 14 Bria Hartley HOW THE TEAM WAS BUILT Through the Draft Diana Taurasi 1st overall pick, 2004 Brittney Griner 1st overall pick, 2013 Alanna Smith 8th overall pick, 2019 Sophie Cunningham 13th overall pick, 2019 Via Free Agency Bria Hartley Signed February 12, 2020 Kia Vaughn Signed February 12, 2020 Shey Peddy Signed August 19, 2020 Alisia Jenkins Signed September 7, 2020 Via Trade Skylar Diggins-Smith From Dallas, February 12, 2020 Shatori Walker-Kimbrough From New York, April 17, 2020 Jessica Breland From Atlanta, February 19, 2020 Nia Coffey From Atlanta, February 19, 2020 Brianna Turner Draft Rights Acquired from Atlanta, April 10, 2019 2 Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx • Thursday, September 17, 2020 • IMG Academy • PhoenixMercury.com 2020 WNBA PLAYOFFS 5 8 6 7 85 84 81 94 5 7 3 4 1 2 National Local EST Broadcast First Round Schedule #6 Chicago vs. #7 Connecticut Game 1 Tuesday, September 15 Chicago vs. Connecticut 7:00PM 7:00PM ESPN2 #5 Phoenix vs. #8 Washington Game 1 Tuesday, September 15 Phoenix vs. Washington 9:00PM 9:00PM ESPN2 Second Round Schedule #4 Minnesota vs. #5 Phoenix Game 1 Thursday, September 17 Minnesota vs. Phoenix 7:00PM 7:00PM ESPN2 #3 Los Angeles vs. #7 Connecticut Game 1 Thursday, September 17 Los Angeles vs. Connecticut 9:00PM 9:00PM ESPN2 Semi-Finals #1 (#1 Las Vegas) Semi-Finals #2 (#2 Seattle) WNBA Finals Game 1 Septmeber 20 Game 1 Septmeber 20 Game 1 October 2 Game 2 Septmeber 22 Game 2 Septmeber 22 Game 2 October 4 Game 3 Septmeber 24 Game 3 Septmeber 24 Game 3 October 6 Game 4* Septmeber 27 Game 4* Septmeber 27 Game 4* October 8 Game 5* Septmeber 29 Game 5* Septmeber 29 Game 5* October 11 Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx • Thursday, September 17, 2020 • IMG Academy • PhoenixMercury.com 3 TONIGHT'S OPPONENT | MINNESOTA LYNX (REGULAR SEASON: 14-8) SERIES QUICK NOTES - Phoenix and Minnesota split the regular season matchup with Minnesota, 1-1, this season.