Uncasville, CT – The Connecticut Sun experienced their first defeat of the 2024 season against the New York Liberty with the final score of 82-75. This game was a nail-biter, featuring eight lead changes and seven ties. Ultimately, the Liberty managed to pull away with a crucial 15-6 run in the fourth quarter.
DeWanna Bonner stood out for the Sun, scoring 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out three assists, and adding one steal and one block. Alyssa Thomas also had a strong performance, securing a double-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal. Brionna Jones contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists in a season-high 34 minutes, while Tiffany Mitchell scored a season-high 12 points in just 14 minutes off the bench.
Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 24 points, three rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Jonquel Jones added 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and four blocks, being a significant force on both ends of the court.
The Sun shot 40.8% (29-71) from the field, compared to Liberty’s 51.7% (31-60). Connecticut excelled in points in the paint (44-38), second-chance points (10-3), and bench points (13-7). Both teams scored nine points on the fast break.
A historic note from the game: New York finished with zero offensive rebounds, the first time this has occurred in Liberty franchise history and a first for a Connecticut opponent in a regular-season game. Despite forcing 12 turnovers and scoring 13 points off them, the Sun were outrebounded 35-28. With this win, New York will represent the Eastern Commissioner’s Cup games falls to 2-1 this season.
This game serves as a reminder of the importance of Coach White’s emphasis on strong quarter starts and finishes as the Sun look to bounce back and continue their successful season. In Post Game, Tiffany Mitchell said “she is settling in the sun offense and finding ways to incorporate her game in the system they run”. The Sun will play the Indiana Fever Monday June 10th at 7pm. The Sun are now 2-1 in Commissioner Cup games this season.
