Connecticut forces Game 5 in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.
Uncasville, CT (October 6, 2024)- Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (28-12, 2-2) defeated the Minnesota Lynx (30-10, 2-2) in Game 4 of the WNBA Semifinals, 92-82, at home in Uncasville. With the win, the Sun force a winner-take-all Semifinals Game 5 on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Ty Harris led the Sun with a postseason career-high 20 points and three rebounds. She went a team-best 4/5 from beyond the three-point arc and logged a postseason high 30 minutes in the win.
Alyssa Thomas finished two rebound shy of a triple-double, notching 18 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and one steal in the game. With 11 assists on the day, she moved into fourth all-time in assists in WNBA postseason history, passing Chelsea Gray. She now has 307 assists in her playoff career.
DeWanna Bonner tallied 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and one block in the win, while DiJonai Carrington added a postseason career-high 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. Marina Mabrey came off the bench in tonight’s game, adding 10 points, three rebounds and one block in 34 minutes of action.
The Sun trailed by as many as ten in the first quarter, but closed the gap to seven, 22-15, heading into the second. Both teams scored 28 points in the second quarter, with Minnesota taking a 50-43 lead into the locker room. The Lynx shot a blistering 58.1% (18/31) in the first half, going 9/14 (64.3%) from beyond the arc, while the Sun shot 46.9% (15/32) from the floor through twenty minutes.
Connecticut began the second half on a 14-7 run to tie the game, 57-57, with 5:46 to play in the third. The Sun outscored the Lynx, 25-13, in the third quarter to take a five-point lead into the fourth, 68-63. Connecticut began the fourth on a 6-2 spurt to extend their lead to nine, 74-65, with 7:20 to play in the game. The Sun lead by as many 15 down the stretch and were able to hang on late to take the 10-point victory, 92-82.
The Sun shot 53.7% (36/67) from the floor, while the Lynx finished 46.7% (28/60) from the field in the game. The Sun have only shot 53% or better on four occasions in franchise postseason history.
Napheesa Collier led the way for the Lynx with a double-double, tallying 29 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Former Sun guard Natisha Hiedeman added 16 points, three assists and two steals in 23 minutes off the bench for Minnesota.
Notes:
- After giving up nine Minnesota three-point field goals in the first half, the Sun held the Lynx to just one three-point make (1/12) in the second half.
- DeWanna Bonner moved into first all-time in defensive rebounds in WNBA postseason history, passing Candace Parker. She now has 490 defensive rebounds in her playoff career.
- Alyssa Thomas recorded her 27th WNBA playoff game with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists, extending her all-time lead over Candace Parker (20).
- With the win, the Sun move to 3-5 all-time in Game 4s and 13-16 all-time when facing elimination.
- The Sun are 1-2 all-time in playoff series Game 5s. Their lone win came in Game of the 2022 WNBA Semifinals where the team defeated the Chicago Sky on the road in Chicago.
| Team | Score | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | PTS | REB | AST |
| CON | 92 | 15 | 28 | 25 | 24 | Harris- 20 | Bonner/Thomas- 8 | Thomas- 11 |
| MIN | 82 | 22 | 28 | 13 | 19 | Collier- 29 | Collier- 13 | McBride- 6 |
NEXT GAME: The No. 3 seed Connecticut Sun travel to Minneapolis for Game 5 of the WNBA Semifinals against the No. 2 seed Minnesota Lynx. The winner will advance to the 2024 WNBA Finals to face the No. 1 seed New York Liberty.