Connecticut Sun (18-10) vs. Phoenix Mercury (15-13)
Mohegan Sun Arena
Sunday, August 20th, 3:00 p.m. ET
Watch Live on CSN
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Last Game: The Connecticut Sun fell 82-70 at home to the New York Liberty on August 18th. The Phoenix Mercury won 89-79 over the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on August 18th.
Players to Watch: Connecticut – Jonquel Jones leads Connecticut this season in both scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.6 rpg). She finished with 11 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s loss to New York. Alyssa Thomas leads the Sun in assists (4.9 apg), is second in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and third in scoring (14.1 ppg). She had 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals against the Liberty. Jasmine Thomas ranks second on the team in both scoring (14.5 ppg) and assists (4.5 apg). She added 15 points, two rebounds and an assist in the game.
Phoenix – Brittney Griner leads Phoenix in scoring (21.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rpg). She posted 13 points and 10 rebounds in Fridays win over Washington. Diana Taurasi ranks second on the team in scoring (19.3 ppg), and had 25 points and three rebounds against the Mystics. Camille Little ranks third on the team in rebounding (3.7 rpg). She added 15 points, four rebounds and an assist in the game.
Noteworthy:
· Connecticut won 93-92 at home over Phoenix back on August 4th in the first of three meetings this season between the two teams.
· Six Sun players scored in double-figures in the win over the Mercury.
· Phoenix made 11 threes in the game, the most the Sun have allowed to an opponent all season.
· Taurasi made a season-high 12 field goals leading to a team-high 33 points against Connecticut (8/4).
· Leilani Mitchell set season-highs of five made threes and eight assists against the Sun (8/4).
· Connecticut’s eight-game winning streak at home (six straight overall) was snapped with the loss to New York. The Sun are now 10-4 at home this season.
· The Sun lead the league in scoring average (86.9 ppg) and is third in rebounding (35.89 rpg).
· Connecticut gives up the second fewest offensive rebounds in the league to opponents (7.86 per game).
· Jasmine Thomas scored her 2,000th career point with 1:04 left to play in the third quarter against the Liberty. She was also perfect from the free-throw line with a season-high seven made free throws.
· Jones posted her 24th double-figure scoring game of the season. She currently leads the WNBA in rebounding (11.6 rpg).
· With three steals against New York, Alyssa Thomas set a new single-season career-high in steals (45). She is also fifth in the league in assists (4.9 apg)
· Phoenix allows the lowest three-point field goal percentage in the league to opponents (.297).
· Taurasi recorded her 200th career 20-point game against Washington. She ranks fifth in the league in scoring (19.3 ppg).
· Griner posted her sixth double-double of the season. She leads the WNBA in scoring (21.7 ppg) and is eighth in rebounding (8.2 rpg).
· Stephanie Talbot tied her career-high with 12 points against Washington.
Connecticut Sun Head Coach Curt Miller:
On the loss to New York
“We’re disappointed, but that game is so good for us. I can’t begin to tell you how good that game is going to be for us in the long run. Tonight’s game took on a playoff feel and the physicality that we knew was going to be in this game and the intensity from each and every possession was the best simulation we could possibly have for a playoff game. For our young team to understand the grind that the playoffs are going to be and not the 100-point games that you sometimes get during the regular season. Tonight’s game is going to go a long, long way for us.”
Next Game: The Connecticut Sun tip-off against the Dallas Wings at Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, August 23rd at 7:00 p.m. ET. Get tickets.