Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) watches the ball toe out of bounds on Aug. 18, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. © Owen Ziliak/The Republic
Facing each other once again in a span of four days, the Phoenix Mercury and Chicago Sky clashed in a rematch on Sunday where the Mercury won 86-68 and two players recorded double-doubles that made history.
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Though her team lost, Sky rookie Angel Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to post 20 double-doubles in a season as she had 19 points and 20 rebounds in Phoenix. Grabbing as many boards as possible, she collected 10 offensive and 10 defensive rebounds in the game.
So far in her rookie campaign, Reese is the only player out of this year’s draft class to average a double. In 27 games, the LSU product is averaging 13.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, continuing to make her case against Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
For the Mercury, Sophie Cunningham recorded the first double-double of her six-year WNBA career, 13 points and 10 rebounds.
With Rebecca Allen out indefinitely, Cunningham has started in the past three games and adjusted to the role she has sporadically played throughout this season. Her 3-point shooting is up to 39.8% on the season, but she has shown flashes of what she can do defensively as well. The Missouri native is averaging 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 27 games (11 starts) thus far.
While the Mercury just signed forward Monique Billings on Sunday, it will be interesting to see who the starter will be going forward.
“Soph does pretty much everything that we ask, and that’s why I think everyone loves her,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said postgame. “With Bec and now Monique, we got some pretty good players that we’re going to have options to put in the starting lineup.”
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account,