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Connecticut Sun Fall to phoenix Mercury 82-66 Despite Third-Quarter Surge
UNCASVILLE, CT – August 6, 2024 – The Connecticut Sun suffered an 82-66 defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena. Despite a dominant third quarter fueled by aggressive defense and scoring from DiJonai Carrington, the Sun were unable to overcome a strong shooting performance by the Mercury and a double-double from phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas.
The Mercury opened the game strong, leading 26-6 after the first quarter, capitalizing on early shooting efficiency. The Sun battled back in the second quarter, outscoring Phoenix 22-18, but still trailed 44-28 at halftime. DiJonai carrington ignited a significant shift in momentum during the third quarter, scoring six points and contributing to four steals in the final five minutes.She also assisted on a crucial three-pointer by Marina Mabrey as the Sun closed the gap, finishing the quarter trailing 64-48.
The fourth quarter saw the Sun attempt to mount a comeback, starting with three consecutive Mercury turnovers and a layup from Migna Touré, marking her first career WNBA points. However, the Mercury responded with a 7-2 run, and despite a late push that included a Jacy Sheldon layup following an Olivia Nelson-Ododa steal, the Sun couldn’t close the deficit. The game concluded with a final score of 82-66.
Phoenix’s shooting proved decisive, with the Mercury connecting on 45.3% of their field goal attempts (29 of 64), including 40% from three-point range (8 of 20). In contrast,the Sun struggled from the field,shooting just 34.7% (25 of 72) and a mere 20% from beyond the arc (5 of 25). The Sun did manage to generate 26 points off of 18 Mercury turnovers and recorded 11 steals.
Satou Sabally led all scorers with 23 points and 6 rebounds for the Mercury. Alyssa Thomas delivered a standout performance with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, recording a triple-double.DeWanna Bonner added 18 points off the bench. For the Sun, Marina Mabrey led the team with 18 points, while Brionna Jones contributed 7 rebounds.
this game marked the first meeting between the two teams since July 19th, where the Sun secured a 77-68 victory in Phoenix. The Sun’s record now stands at 14-12, while the Mercury improve to 9-17.
