Phoenix Mercury Shut โขDown New York Liberty, 82-69
PHOENIX – The Phoenix mercury stifled the New York Liberty with a dominant defensive performance, securing an 82-69 victory on August 30, 2025.โข The winโ was fueled by a strongโ second-half surge and โฃa rebounding advantage led by center โฃNatasha Mack.
Theโ Liberty wereโค forced to adjust their lineup early after Marine Johannescu wasโค ruled โฃout with a left toe injury.Phoenix countered with itsโค own size advantage, featuring 6-foot-4โฃ Brittney Stewart, 6-foot-4 Emma Meesseman, andโ 6-foot-6 Tina Charles.Initially, the Liberty’s โbigger lineup proved effective,โฃ grabbing 14 defensive rebounds and outscoring the Mercury โin โthe paint by sixโ points. โขHowever, the Mercury responded after halftime, capitalizing โฃon turnovers and increased defensive pressure. Mack was pivotal in the turnaround,โข contributing 10 rebounds, eight points, and four blocks. The Mercury scored 18 points off the Liberty’s eight second-half turnovers, while โMack alone secured two moreโ offensive rebounds than theโ entire โคLiberty team.
“I’m super excited for her and herโ conditioning. She just impacts winning with her effort โon the glass,” Mercury head coach Nikki Tibbetts said of Mack.”She flies around, her teammates love her, you want good things to happenโข toโฃ good people, and she’s โstayed with it and is figuring out how to play next to AT, which isโค awesome. Her activity โon โฃthe โglass was big time.”
Theโ Mercury also limited the Liberty’s opportunities at the free throw line, holding them to โjust 11 attempts after New York had averaged 24 in their previous three games.
Phoenixโข utilized an eight-player rotation,withโฃ DeWanna bonner,Kathryn Westbeld,and Sami Whitcomb coming off the bench. Westbeld provided a crucial spark inโค the fourth quarter,hitting a key โค3-pointer to maintain the Mercury’s momentum.
“For her to come in โขwith thatโข kind โof confidence and take thatโค shot, we believed in Kat,” Bonner said. โ”Sheโ was doing this before I got hear in theโ beginning of theโ season, and she’s continuing to hit big buckets โคand battle with (centers).โค You put her on a 5-player and she does aโ great job down there.Shout out to Kat, and it’s not easy coming off the bench and being ready, butโค she did aโค great job โฃtonight.”
The Mercury (recordโ unavailable) will conclude their homestand against โฃthe Indiana Fever on โSeptember 2 at 7 p.m. MST. The Fever are currently battling for a playoffโ spot despite facing injury challenges within their guard rotation.
