Connecticut rolls over Indiana for 20th victory

INDIANAPOLIS, August 4, 2023 – The Connecticut Sun did what good teams are supposed to do – beat teams at the bottom of the standings.

The Sun (20-7) raced out to an early 12-point lead and beat the Indiana Fever, 88-72 on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Connecticut never trailed and led by as many as 26 points as they kicked off a three-game road trip with a victory.

Tiffany Hayes led Connecticut with 18 points while DeWanna Bonner had 14 points and Alyssa Thomas scored 13. Aliyah Boston led the Fever (7-20) with 19 points.

The Sun pulled away from Indiana in the second quarter, building big 20-point leads. The Sun shot 49.2 percent from the floor and limited the Ever to 38.6 percent shooting.

Natisha Hiedeman scored her 1,000th career point in the game while Alyssa Thomas pulled down her 1,400th career rebound. Olivia Nelson-Ododa had her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Connecticut returns to action on Tuesday when they travel to Seattle to face the Storm in a 3 p.m. contest. The Sun closes out the road trip with a date in Phoenix on Thursday, August 10 at 10:30 p.m.

Connecticut 88, Indiana 72
At Indianapolis
Connecticut (88) Bonner 6-14 1-1 14, Thomas 5-10 1-2 11, Hayes 5-11 7-7 18, Allen 2-3 0-0 5, Hiedeman 3-4 2-2 10, Nelson-Doda 3-8 4-4 10, Harris 3-7 0-0 9, Carrington 4-5 2-3 11, Brown 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-63, 17-19
Indiana (72) Cannon 5-10 0-0 11, Boston 6-11 6-6 19, Wheeler 3-8 5-6 12, Mitchell 4-10 3-4 13, Hull 0-4 0-0 0, Saxton 1-1 3-3 5, Zahui B 0-1 0-0 0, Vivians 0-0 1-2 1, Caldwell 1-3 2-2 4, Berger 1-3 1-1 4. Totals 22-57, 21-24, 72
Connecticut (20-7)          31  25  18  14  — 88
Indiana (7-20)                  22  11  21  18  — 72
Three-point goals: Connecticut 9-22 (Bonner 1-7, Hayes 1-3, Allen 1-2, Hiedeman 2-3, Harris 3-6, Carrnington 1-1); Indiana 7-23 (Cannon 1-5, Boston 1-1, Wheeler 1-5, Mitchell 2-6, Hull 0-1, Zahui B 0-1, Wallace 1-2, Caldwell 0-1, Berger 1-1)