Chicago, IL (August 20, 2023)- Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (22-10) defeated the Chicago Sky (12-20), 79-73.

The Sun was led by Alyssa Thomas who filled the stat sheet with 22 points, five rebounds and eight assists on the night. With 22 points in the game, Thomas also passed Asjha Jones for second all-time in scoring in Connecticut Sun history (3,343).

1Q- Connecticut and Chicago were knotted at 13 heading into the first media timeout of the contest. Thomas and Natisha Hiedeman each had four points to lead the Sun in scoring early. The Sun rattled off six unanswered to push their lead up to 19-13 and forced the Sky to call a timeout with 3:14 remaining in the first. Tiffany Hayes had four of Connecticut’s six on that spurt. Chicago responded, finishing the quarter on a 10-6 run to cut Connecticut’s lead to two, 25-23, heading into the second.

2Q- Chicago opened the second quarter on an 9-4 run to take a 32-29 lead over Connecticut with 5:05 remaining in the first half. The Sun closed the quarter on a 16-8 run to bring a five-point advantage into the locker room, 45-40. Thomas led Connecticut with 13 points, two rebounds and five assists through twenty minutes of action. Both teams shot the ball well in the first half, with the Sun going 57.1% (16-28) from the field, while the Sky was 51.5% (17-33) from the floor. Connecticut held a 16-4 advantage on the fast break through two quarters.

3Q- The Sun pushed their lead up to nine, 51-42, with 6:44 to go in the third quarter, outscoring the Sky 6-2 to open the half. Connecticut finished the third quarter outscoring Chicago, 15-13, to take a ten-point lead into the fourth. Hiedeman notched six of her 13 points in the third to lead the Sun in scoring out of the locker room.

4Q- Connecticut outscored Chicago, 8-5, to begin the fourth quarter, taking a 74-61 lead with 4:21 to go in the game. Thomas had four of the Sun’s eight on that stretch. The Sky went on a 5-0 spurt to cut the Sun’s lead to eight, 74-66, with 2:58 to go in the fourth. The Sun answered on a 5-0 run of their own to push the lead back up to 13, 79-66, with 1:17 left in the quarter. The Sky finished the game on a 7-0 run, but the Sun were able to take home the 79-73 victory.

Chicago was led by Kahleah Copper who finished with 15 points and three rebounds on the night.

Connecticut shot 47.4% (27-57) from the field, while holding Chicago to 41.3% (26-63) in the game.

Sun Notes:

• Natisha Hiedeman and DeWanna Bonner each finished with 13 points.
• Tiffany Hayes added 12 points, one rebound, three assists and a season-high tying three steals.
• Rebecca Allen grabbed a career-high tying nine boards, along with seven points, four assists, two steals and four blocks.
• With two three-point field goals in the win, Natisha Hiedeman moved into seventh all-time in three-point field goals made in Sun history, passing Kara Lawson (198).
• DeWanna Bonner moved into 12^th all-time in games played in WNBA history, tying Ticha Penicheiro (454).
• Alyssa Thomas moved into second all-time in games played in franchise history, tying Asjha Jones (271).

NEXT GAME: The Connecticut Sun are back in action on Tuesday, August 22 at 7:00 PM ET taking on the Washington Mystics in Washington, D.C.