Las Vegas — Despite a career night from Morgan Tuck, who led five players in double figures, the Connecticut Sun dropped a 94-90 heartbreaker to the much-improved Las Vegas Aces Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Tuck had 20 points — one short of her career-high — and set a new personal career-best with four made threes. Three of those threes came in the last 3:37 of the third quarter, when the Sun used a 17-7 run to open a 76-65 lead entering the fourth quarter.
But the Aces (8-12) outscored the Sun 29-14 in the final quarter to rally for the win.
With the score tied at 87 and just under two minutes remaining, Kayla McBride hit two free throws, and A’ja Wilson converted a three-point play. Tuck hit her fourth three to get the score back to 92-90, but Moriah Jefferson had two free throws to close out the win for Las Vegas.
It was a tough way to end a four-game West Coast road trip for the Sun (10-9), who visited Seattle (7/1), Los Angeles (7/3) and Phoenix (7/5) before playing the Aces.
Tuck led another balanced attack that included 16 points from Jonquel Jones, 15 points and 11 rebounds from Chiney Ogwumike — her fifth double-double of the season — and 10 points each from Alex Bentley and Betnijah Laney.
The Sun had 37 made field goals and 24 assists with just nine turnovers.
Las Vegas got 34 points and 14 rebounds from Wilson and 27 points, six rebounds and four assists from McBride. Kelsey Plum had 10 assists.
The Sun return home to host the New York Liberty at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena.