Kelsey Plum scored 43 points for the Los Angeles Sparks and Kahleah Copper had 41 for the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, the first time opponents have both scored 40 in a WNBA game, including the playoffs, according to ESPN.
The Sparks won 111-102 in overtime at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. ESPN's scoreboard and event summary verified the game as final, with Los Angeles outscoring Phoenix 13-4 in the extra period.
Plum Carries Sparks In Overtime Win
Plum's 43 points came on 14-of-26 shooting, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range and 10-of-12 at the free throw line. ESPN's box score also credited her with seven assists.
The scoring line tied the Sparks' single-game record, according to ESPN, and came in a road win rather than a loose late-game chase. Los Angeles needed the full output because Copper was matching the game shot for shot on the other side.
The Sparks were tied 27-27 after the first quarter, trailed by three at halftime and entered overtime after a 98-98 regulation score. The final five minutes separated the result from the spectacle.
Copper Adds Mercury Milestone In Loss
Copper finished with 41 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 16-of-30 from the field and 6-of-14 from behind the arc. ESPN reported that she became the first Mercury player to score at least 40 points with a double-double.
That made the night more than a two-name scoring list. Plum and Copper each set career highs, while the final score gave the Sparks the win and left Phoenix with a rare individual performance inside a loss.
ESPN listed attendance at 9,234 in Phoenix. The box score will travel because of the points, but the historical detail is cleaner: two opposing WNBA players crossed 40 in the same game for the first time, and it took overtime to settle it.