Rookie's Record-Breaking Night
Noémie Brochant's Landmark Performance Powers Mercury Past Sparks, Snapping Skid
Key Points
Natasha Mack came off the Mercury bench to a perfect 4-for-4 shooting night for 9 points, providing efficient scoring depth.
Phoenix closed the game with a 16-6 fourth-quarter run, flipping an 81-78 deficit into a 94-87 win, with Alyssa Thomas drilling a late layup and DeWanna Bonner adding four straight free throws to seal it.
The Sparks won the turnover battle, forcing Phoenix into 24 turnovers (to 17 for L.A.), and produced 24 points off takeaways, highlighting a key margin Phoenix overcame to win.
Context on the milestone: the WNBA noted that the last rookie to post 20+ points and 5+ steals in a game was Caitlin Clark on July 10, 2024, underscoring how rare Brochant’s performance was.
Noémie Brochant scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed five steals to power the Phoenix Mercury past the Los Angeles Sparks 94-87, snapping a three-game losing streak. The rookie exploded late, helping Phoenix erase an 81-78 deficit with under five minutes left to play, according to Kansas City Star.
Brochant made history in the process. Just Women's Sports reported she tied a rookie record last set by Caitlin Clark on July 10, 2024 — becoming just the second rookie ever to post 20-plus points and five-plus steals in a single WNBA game.
Brochant's Career Night Fuels Historic Fourth Quarter
Brochant finished 10-for-13 from the field for her 24 points — an absurdly efficient line for any player, let alone a rookie. She also recorded five steals, many of them in the final minutes when the game was on the line. WNBA confirmed it was the first time a Mercury rookie ever hit those numbers in the same game.
Phoenix closed the game on a 16-6 run in the fourth quarter. A Brochant steal triggered a transition layup by Alyssa Thomas that flipped an 81-78 deficit into an 86-81 lead. DeWanna Bonner then knocked down four straight free throws to seal it, per The State.
Thomas, Copper, and Mack Round Out Balanced Mercury Attack
Four Mercury players finished in double figures. Kahleah Copper scored 18. Alyssa Thomas added 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds — including nine points in the fourth quarter alone. DeWanna Bonner chipped in 11. Phoenix shot 52% as a team, according to Kansas City Star.
Off the bench, Natasha Mack was perfect. She went 4-for-4 from the field for nine points, giving Phoenix an efficient spark it needed. The balanced scoring mattered because Kelsey Plum did not play, sitting out with left calf tightness, per Tucson.com.
Sparks Cold from Three, Hamby and Burrell Couldn't Carry the Load
Los Angeles had its chances. The Sparks led 81-78 late and won the turnover battle, forcing Phoenix into 24 giveaways. They scored 24 points off those takeaways. But L.A. went cold from deep, shooting just 7-for-32 from three-point range — a 21.9% clip that doomed their offense.
Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell each scored 19 to lead the Sparks. But without a working three-point attack, Los Angeles had no answer when Phoenix turned up the pressure late. The Sparks fell to 81-87 as Brochant's steals shut the door, per Just Women's Sports.
Rookie Milestone Puts Brochant in Rare Company
Before Tuesday, only Caitlin Clark had ever posted 20-plus points and five-plus steals in a single game as a WNBA rookie. Clark did it on July 10, 2024. Now Brochant joins her. Just Women's Sports called it a record-tying performance, highlighting just how rare the combination of scoring and playmaking disruption truly is.
For Phoenix, the win brings relief after three straight losses. Brochant's emergence as a late-game closer gives the Mercury a new weapon — and a reason to believe this rookie can deliver when the game is on the line, according to Tucson.com.
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