Sun Stifle Wings
Uncasville – Jonquel Jones came off the bench to collect a season-high 27 points and 10 rebounds with four made threes as the Connecticut Sun won for the seventh time in eight games, cruising to a 96-76 win over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Sun (19-13) have now won seven of eight, and took another step toward clinching a home playoff game.
Jones was 10-of-12 from the field, and is averaging 17.7 points and 6.5 rebounds over the last eight games. Morgan Tuck (12 points) and Rachel Banham (10 points) were also productive off the bench for the Sun, which received 57 points from its reserves.
Chiney Ogwumike had 13 points and five rebounds, Courtney Williams had 10 points and four rebounds and Jasmine Thomas had eight points and seven rebounds to round out a balanced Sun attack that racked up 36 made field goals on 21 assists while shooting 52.2 percent.
Connecticut led by as much as 23 points on the way to completing a 3-0 sweep of the Wings (14-18), who were led by interim coach and former Sun star Taj McWilliams-Franklin.
The Sun led 22-18 after the first quarter, and eased off to a 50-38 lead at the half as Jones and Banham combined for 16 second-quarter points.
Dallas was still within 10 points, trailing 64-54 with 3:40 left in the third, when Jones hit a three-pointer to start an 11-2 run that made it 75-56 after three quarters. Banham put the Sun up 77-56 to start the fourth quarter and Dallas never got closer than 11 the rest of the way.
Alisha Gray led four Dallas players in double figures with 18 points while Liz Cambage had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The Sun are home Friday night to face the Minnesota Lynx at 7 p.m. This will be the last visit to Connecticut for former Sun star Lindsay Whalen, who announced she will be retiring at the end of the year.