Behind dominant efforts from Diamond DeShields and Courtney Vandersloot, the Chicago Sky bulldozed their way into the second round of the WNBA playoffs with a blowout win over the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.
DeShields had 25 points and four rebounds, and Vandersloot dished out 11 assists and blocked a pair of shots in the win.
A game after her controversial ejection, Astou Ndour came out firing on Wednesday, scoring 16 points and hauling down a team-high nine rebounds. Candace Parker scored 11 points and chipped in with seven rebounds off the bench for Chicago.
The Mercury had to deal with the injury bug both before the game, with Diana Taurasi ruled out as she continues to make her way back from a back injury, and during the contest, with Brittney Griner leaving the contest with an apparent knee issue.
The clubs played to a near-stalemate in the first two quarters of the game, with the Sky holding a narrow three-point lead at halftime, but Chicago was able to pour it on in the second half. They outscored the Mercury 29-19 in the third quarter and added 32 more points in the fourth to cruise to the easy victory.
The Sky will face the Las Vegas Aces in the second round of the WNBA playoffs. The game will take place Sunday, and will tip-off at 4 p.m. on ESPN2. The game, like the first round contest, will also be a single-elimination contest.
