Connecticut Sun Postgame Notes
Connecticut Sun 71, New York Liberty 54
Game Notes:
- In the last game for the Connecticut Sun ahead of the Olympic break, the Sun (14-6) faced the New York Liberty (10-11) in Brooklyn, NY at the Barclays Center. The Sun defeated the Liberty 71-54 and hold a 2-0 advantage in the three-game series. New York’s 54 points is the fewest amount allowed by the Sun since an 82-51 win over the San Antonio Stars (8/4/15). The two opponents will face one another on Sept. 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
- Before the Olympic break, Brionna Jones, DeWanna Bonner and Jonquel Jones will participate in the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 14 in Las Vegas, NV. J. Jones will compete in the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest at halftime of the all-star game.
- On Friday, July 9, the Sun clinched their spot in the WNBA’s Inaugural Commissioner’s Cup as the Eastern Conference representative.
- The Sun held a strong 22-12 advantage over the Liberty after the first. New York grabbed a brief 8-7 lead with six and a half minutes on the clock. Connecticut’s next basket would spark a 10-0 run, which ended as a 15-4 run to close out the quarter.
- Connecticut finished the half up 37-28 on New York. The Liberty came within seven points at one point in the second quarter, but the Sun maintained a 9+ point advantage for a majority of the frame.
- At the break, Connecticut was shooting 40 percent from the field compared to New York’s 26.9 percent.
- The Sun extended their lead (55-37) to 18 after outscoring the Liberty 18-9 in the third. Connecticut scored 16-straight points, holding New York scoreless for over seven minutes. The Liberty only scored three-field goals for the quarter, all of which were from beyond the arc.
- New York would go on to outscore the Sun 17-16 in the fourth quarter, receiving seven points from Jazmine Jones and five from Kylee Shook. Natisha Hiedeman scored six for the Sun that quarter and DiJonai Carrington added five.
- Three Sun players reached double figures on the afternoon.
- Jonquel Jones scored a team-high 17 points, grabbed a team and season-high 17 rebounds and dished out a team-high five assists. Jones has scored in double-figures in every game this season and has secured a double-double for the 10th time this season.
- Jasmine Thomas scored 12 points on three made field goals, two three-pointers and four freethrows.
- Briann January scored 10 points of her own, recorded four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
- DeWanna Bonner (5569) moved up to 17th on the WNBA All-Time Points list, passing Katie Douglas (5563), and into 23rd with Diana Taurasi on the WNBA All-Time Steals list (458) passing Tangela Smith. She scored eight points in today’s contest, had two steals, two assists and three rebounds.
- The Sun’s bench contributed 18 points, nine of which came from Natisha Hiedeman who shot 3-of-6 from behind the arc. DiJonai Carrington scored five points and Beatrice Mompremier added four.
- As a team, Connecticut outscored the Liberty 24-14 in the paint, outrebounded them 42-34 and shot 37.9 percent (25-66) to New York’s 30.4 percent (17-56).
- Connecticut kept New York’s three leading scorers, Betnijah Laney, Sami Whitcomb and Sabrina Ionescu to a combined eight points. Whitcomb recorded five points, Laney added three on one made three-pointer and Ionescu was held scoreless.
- Kylee Shook led the Liberty with a career-high 16 points, Micaela Onyenwere scored 12 points and Jazmine Jones finished with 10 points.