SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — Veronica Burton scored 19 of her 25 points in the first half and dished out eight assists, Gabby Williams added 25 points and the Golden State Valkyries withstood a furious Phoenix Mercury comeback to win 87-81 on Tuesday night at Chase Center before 18,064.

Burton made 5 of 7 shots in the opening two quarters and finished 7 for 15 from the floor. Williams also grabbed four rebounds and had a key three-point play late. Janelle Salaun contributed 11 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Valkyries, who shot 57.1 percent in building a 49-32 halftime lead and finished at 44.3 percent.

The Mercury, who fell to 4-9, were led by Alyssa Thomas with 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in 32 minutes. Monique Akoa Makani added 19 points and Natasha Mack had nine points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix. Noemie Brochant scored 10 points and handed out six assists.

Golden State improved to 7-5. The win avenged a 95-79 loss to the Mercury on May 10, the only other meeting this season.

The Valkyries jumped out quickly. Kiah Stokes hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:39 left in the first quarter to make it 9-3, and Burton’s driving layup with 2:58 remaining pushed the lead to 14-5. Williams scored on a runner in the lane and Kayla Thornton drilled a 3 from the wing, helping Golden State take a 22-18 lead after one.

Phoenix struggled to contain Burton and Williams in the second quarter. Williams hit a 3 from the right wing with 2:38 left to make it 39-28, then added a technical free throw after Thomas was whistled for a technical foul. Burton’s floater in the lane with 9.8 seconds left sent the Valkyries into halftime up 49-32.

Phoenix stormed back in the third quarter. Thomas scored on a layup and a jumper, and Brochant hit a 3 from the top of the arc to cut the deficit to 53-44 with 5:11 left. Alyssa Thomas then converted a three-point play and later made a driving layup, pulling the Mercury within 60-57. Lexi Held’s running jumper in the lane with 27 seconds left in the quarter brought Phoenix to 62-61, and Brochant’s 24-foot running jump shot at the buzzer tied the game at 63-63 entering the fourth.

The Mercury took their first lead of the second half when DeWanna Bonner buried a 3 from the left wing with 6:47 left, making it 66-65. But Golden State answered quickly. Williams drilled a 3 from the right corner with 5:58 remaining to put the Valkyries ahead 68-67. After Thomas tied it with a floater, Burton drove and found Kaila Charles for a layup with 2:26 left, giving Golden State a 78-73 lead. Thornton then hit a 3 from the right wing with 2:03 to go to extend the advantage to 81-75.

Phoenix refused to fold. Akoa Makani hit a pullup jumper with 1:47 left to make it 81-77, but Williams answered with a driving layup and free throw for a three-point play with 1:39 remaining. Thomas scored on a turnaround jumper and added a free throw with 51.7 seconds left, cutting the lead to 84-81. After Burton missed a 3, Williams grabbed the offensive rebound, and Charles missed a 3, but Thomas threw the ball away on a bad pass with 13.5 seconds left. Williams was fouled and made one of two free throws with 11.8 seconds remaining. Thornton sealed it with two free throws with 4.4 seconds left.

Thomas had a strong recent stretch, coming off games of nine points, nine rebounds and five assists against Seattle on June 3 and six points and three rebounds against Minnesota on June 1. But she fouled out of the earlier meeting with Golden State this season, a 95-79 loss on May 10, and committed five turnovers Tuesday.

Phoenix’s previous results included a 78-72 win at Portland on June 5 and a 72-68 win at Seattle on June 3, after a 111-77 loss to Minnesota on June 1. Golden State had lost 84-79 at Las Vegas on June 6 and 87-84 at Minnesota on June 4 before winning Tuesday.

Golden State next plays at Seattle on Friday, while Phoenix visits Dallas on Thursday.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Golden State 94, Phoenix 84, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Golden State a 65.8 percent probability to win. The Valkyries were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 6.5 points. The total of 168 points went over the over-under line of 161.5.