Phoenix, AZ: The Connecticut Sun (14-4) travel to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Mercury (9-9) on Monday, July 1 at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT at the Footprint Center. The Sun are 1-0 against the Mercury this season, winning 70-47 on May 28 in Connecticut. The game will air on NBC Sports Boston and stream live on WNBA League Pass.
Last time out on Friday night, the Connecticut Sun fell to the Atlanta Dream, 78-74. The game was the Sun’s second of their first back-to-back of 2024. DeWanna Bonner led the Sun in scoring, tallying 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal in the effort. DiJonai Carrington added 15 points, four rebounds, one assists and a career-high tying three steals. She also nailed three triples on the night.
Out of a Slump:
Sun guard DiJonai Carrington started the season shooting just 10% (2/20) from beyond the three-point line through Connecticut’s first ten games of the season. Since June 10, Carrington has gotten back on track, shooting 42.3% (11/26), including going 7/15 over Connecticut’s last two games. The fourth-year pro out of Baylor is averaging career-bests in points (13.0), rebounds (4.6), assists (1.8) and steals (1.1) per game.
Starters Getting it Done:
The Sun’s five starters- Ty Harris, DiJonai Carrington, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones are all averaging 10+ points per game through 18 games this season. The Sun are the only team in the league with all five starters averaging in double-figures scoring. The starters currently account for 82.8% of Connecticut’s scoring in 2024, making up 66.1 of their 79.8 points per game.
League Stat Leaders through 6/29:
- Alyssa Thomas:
- 1st in APG (7.6)
- 5th in RPG (9.4)
- 4th in ORPG (2.1)
- 10th in SPG (1.6)
- 14th in FG% (50.3%)
- 7th in MPG (34.1)
- Brionna Jones:
- 4th in FG% (55.7%)
- 11th in Points in the Paint PG (9.1)
- DeWanna Bonner:
- 13th in PPG (16.7)
- 16th in SPG (1.4)
- Connecticut Sun:
- 4th in SPG (8.7)
- 5th in FG% (43.8%)
- 3rd in Net Rating (8.6)
- 2nd in Defensive Rating (93.0)
- 2nd in Second Chance Points per game (12.0)
Opponent History:
Connecticut is 30-24 all-time against Phoenix during the regular season, including an 11-17 record on the road. In their first meeting of 2024 on May 28, the Sun defeated the Mercury, 70-47. Connecticut held Phoenix to their worst field goal percentage in a single game in franchise history, shooting 23.8% (15-63) from the floor. The Mercury also shot 3.7% (1-27) from three-point territory- marking their lowest non-zero percentage from beyond the arc in franchise history. Head Coach Nate Tibbets is in his first season with the Mercury.
Sun-Mercury Connections:
- Mercury guard Rebecca Allen played with the Connecticut Sun during the 2023 season.
- Sun guard-forward DeWanna Bonner was drafted No. 5 overall to the Phoenix Mercury in 2009 and played 10 seasons with the team, winning two WNBA Championships (2009, 2014).
- Sun assistant coach Briann January played for the Phoenix Mercury during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
- Mercury forward Liz Dixon played four games during the 2023 season for the Connecticut Sun on a roster hardship contract.
- Sun guard Moriah Jefferson played with the Mercury during the 2023 season.
- Sun guard Ty Harris and Mercury guard Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan were college teammates at the University of South Carolina.
- Sun forward Alyssa Thomas will suit up alongside the Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.