Connecticut makes big defensive stops down the stretch to secure win.
Minneapolis, MN (September 29, 2024)- Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (28-12, 1-0) defeated the Minnesota Lynx (30-10, 0-1) in Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals on the road in Minneapolis, 73-70. With the win, the Sun move to 1-0 in the best-of-five semifinal series and also pick up their third victory over the Lynx in 2024.
Marina Mabrey led Connecticut with 20 points, behind a postseason career-high six three-point field goals. She becomes one of four players in Sun franchise history to hit six three-pointers in a postseason contest (Courtney Williams, Jasmine Thomas and DeWanna Bonner). She also added five rebounds, three assists and one block while finishing the game +11.
Alyssa Thomas stuffed the stat sheet for the Sun in the win, finishing one assist shy of a triple-double. She tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals in the game, playing all but one minute and 30 seconds of the contest.
DiJonai Carrington notched 13 points, a postseason career-high nine rebounds and four assists, while DeWanna Bonner tallied the 17th postseason double-double of her career with 10 points, a team-high 11 rebounds, five assists and one block on the night. She also moved into sole possession of first all-time in postseason games played in WNBA history, playing in her 83rd playoff contest this evening.
The two teams shot almost identical percentages from the field in the game, with the Sun finishing 41.3% (31-75) and the Lynx going 41.5% (27-65) on the night. The difference came from beyond the arc as Connecticut went 40.9% (9/22), while Minnesota was just 25% (5/20).
Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Bridget Carleton added 17 points, making three of Minnesota’s five three-point baskets in the game.
Game Runs:
1H: The game was knotted at 11 heading into the first media timeout of the contest. The Sun finished the first on a 12-5 run to take a 23-16 lead into the second. Minnesota began the second on an 11-6 run to force Connecticut into a timeout with 5:36 to play in the first half, 29-27. The Sun was held scoreless from the 6:58 mark to the 2:56 mark. The Lynx scored eight unanswered to take a six-point lead, 35-29, until a Marina Mabrey three stopped the drought to cut the Lynx’s lead to three, 35-32. Connecticut close the half on a 7-2 run to take a four-point lead into the locker room, 42-38.
2H: The Lynx began the second half outscoring the Sun, 15-12, to cut the Sun’s lead to one, 54-53, with 4:14 to play in the third. Minnesota outscored Connecticut, 24-15, in the quarter to take a five-point lead, 62-57, into the fourth quarter of action. A 5-0 start to the fourth for the Sun tied the game, 62-62, with 7:09 to play in the game. Connecticut took a timeout, holding onto a 69-68 lead with 3:39 to go. Both teams turned up the defense down the stretch, with a scoring drought from the 3:50 mark to 53.8 seconds to go. Alyssa Thomas put the Sun up three with a lay-up, 71-68, but Napheesa Collier responded with a lay-in of her own with 33.9 seconds left in the contest, making it 71-70. Thomas made a big-play down on the other end, nailing a floater to make it 73-70 with 12.3 seconds to go. The Sun came up with one final stop, as a last-chance three by Collier was off the mark and Connecticut pulled away with the 73-70 win.
Notes:
- With 11 rebounds in the game, DeWanna Bonner moved into third all-time in rebounds in WNBA postseason history, tying Rebekkah Brunson (563).
- The Sun have now won five of their last six WNBA Semifinal Game 1s, including their last three seasons.
- Connecticut was just 2/3 (66.7%) from the charity stripe in tonight’s win. Their three free-throw attempts marks a new postseason franchise low (previously 5- 9/11/22 at Las Vegas).
- The game saw 13 lead changes and eight ties.
- The Sun outscored the Lynx in the paint (34-32), in second chance points (13-8) and on the fast break (10-5).
- Connecticut grabbed a 2024 postseason high 39 rebounds, outrebounding Minnesota 39-32.
- Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner tonight are the first pair of teammates in WNBA postseason history to each have 10+ PTS, 10+ REB, and 5+ AST in the same game.
| Team | Score | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | PTS | REB | AST |
| CON | 73 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 16 | Mabrey- 20 | Bonner- 11 | Thomas- 9 |
| MIN | 70 | 16 | 22 | 24 | 8 | Collier- 19 | Collier- 9 | Collier/Smith/Williams- 4 |
NEXT GAME: The No. 3 seed Connecticut Sun will play No. 2 seed Minnesota Lynx in Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals on Tuesday, October 1 at 9:30 PM ET/8:30 PM CT at the Target Center.