Connecticut Sun 94, Atlanta Dream 78

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• In their lone preseason match up for the 2022 WNBA Season, the Connecticut Sun took on the Atlanta Dream in Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun defeated the Dream 94-78.
• Jonquel Jones led the way for Connecticut, finishing with 15 points, two rebounds and two assists in the victory.
• Aari McDonald led Atlanta’s scoring with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal off the bench.
• The Dream held a 29-28 advantage over the Sun after a tight first quarter. The Sun shot 55.6% (10-18) and the Dream shot 52.6% in the opening ten minutes.
• The Sun opened up the second quarter on a 6-2 run to take a brief 34-31 advantage. The Dream answered on their own run and took a 37-34 lead with 7:01 left in the quarter.
• Back to back baskets from Stephanie Jones brought the Sun within two, 42-40, with 2:32 left in the second.
• With less than a minute to play in the first half, DiJonai Carrington nabbed a steal and a layup to give the Sun a 47-45 lead. Atlanta’s Kristy Wallace answered with a three-pointer to put the Dream up one, 48-47. With the game clock under five seconds, Alyssa Thomas went the length of the court and scored at the buzzer to give the Sun a 49-48 lead at the half.
• Stephanie Jones led Connecticut with nine points after the first half, all of her points coming in the second quarter off the bench. Kristy Wallace had nine points to lead the Dream after two.
• At the break, Connecticut was shooting 53.1% from the field compared to Atlanta’s 48.6%.
• The Sun extended their lead (74-68) to six, outscoring the Dream 25-20 in the third. Brionna Jones led the charge in the quarter for the Sun, scoring nine points and grabbing three rebounds.
• Connecticut would go on to outscore Atlanta 20-10 in the fourth quarter, receiving eight points from Natisha Hiedeman and five from DiJonai Carrington in the final stretch.
• Five Sun players reached double figures this afternoon, three of which came off the bench.
• Brionna Jones finished with 13 points, six rebounds and one assist in the outing.
• DiJonai Carrington had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block.
• Yvonne Anderson tallied 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in her first game with the Sun.
• Stephanie Jones notched 11 points and one board off the bench.
• The Sun’s bench outscored the Dream’s bench 55-37.
• Connecticut outscored Atlanta 42-32 in the paint, outrebounded them 33-22 and shot 53.2% (33-62) to the Dream’s 48.3% (29-60).
• Today’s game attendance for the exhibition match-up totaled to 3,244.

NEXT GAME

The Connecticut Sun opens up the 2022 regular season on May 7 at 6:00 P.M. EST at the New York Liberty on ESPN. The Sun went undefeated against the Liberty during the 2021 season with a record of 3-0. Connecticut has won its season opener during three of the last four seasons. The Connecticut Sun is currently celebrating its 20^th Anniversary as a franchise this year.