Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington (21) of the Connecticut Sun drives to the basket against Chicago’s Rachel Banham (24) in Thursday night’s WNBA game in Uncasville. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
The season began for the Connecticut Sun with rookie Caitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever before a sold out Mohegan Sun Arena.
For the Sun, the 2024 playoffs will begin on Sunday at 3 p.m. with Clark and Fever coming to Uncasville.
Connecticut set a new franchise record for most wins in a single season (28) with an 87-54 win over the Chicago Sky Thursday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Ty Harris led the way for Connecticut (28-12) with 15 points, four assists and one block.
A Connecticut loss and a win by the Las Vegas Aces could have moved the Sun to the No. 4 seed and a best-of-3 matchup with the Seattle Storm. But the Sun took care of business and got the Fever in the first round.
Game two is Wednesday in Uncasville and game three, if necessary, will be in Indiana on Friday.
Alyssa Thomas scored 13 points for the Sun, all in the first half. She also had seven assists and one steal. With her seven assists, she set a new single season franchise record for assists (317).
DiJonai Carrington had 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Marina Mabrey finished with 12 points, six assists and two steals while Olivia Nelson-Ododa tied a season-high with 12 points and three blocks. DeWanna Bonner had 11 points in 24 minutes of action.
The Sun limited Chicago (13-27) to just 33.9 percent shooting from the field and swept the season series from the Sky, 4-0.
The Sun closed out the first half with a 9-0 run to take a 46-35 lead at halftime. Harris and Thomas each scored 13 points in the first half. A quick 4-0 to open up the second half swelled the lead to 15 points, 50-35.
The Sun outscored Chicago, 23-6 in the third quarter to take command.
Three Chicago players finished in double-figures, led by Dana Evans who notched 14 points, two assists, one steal and one block in 21 minutes off the bench. Isabelle Harrison finished with a double-double, tallying 13 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Kaela Davis added 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks of her own.
Chicago came in the game with playoff hopes. But they needed to beat Connecticut and hope that Atlanta and Washington lost to claim the eighth seed.
- The Sun outscored the Sky, 17-0, on the fast break. It was the first occasion this season the Sun has held an opponent to zero transition points.
- Connecticut held the advantage in the paint (42-24), in second chance points (13-5) and from the bench (32-26).
- DeWanna Bonner moved into sixth all-time in scoring in franchise history, passing Jonquel Jones. Bonner now has 2,662 points in a Sun uniform.
- The Sun recorded a season-high nine blocks in the win. It marked the first time Connecticut has tallied 9+ blocks in a game since July 20, 2023, and 21st time in franchise history.
- The Sky’s six points in the third quarter ties the lowest point total by a Sun opponent in a quarter this season (Phoenix 9/13- 6 points in the third quarter).
- Tonight was the third occasion this season where six Sun players finished with 10+ points.
- The Sun’s previous record for most wins in a single season was 27 set a year ago.
2024 WNBA playoffs
Sunday, Sept. 22
(8) Atlanta at (1) New York, 1 p.m (ESPN)
(6) Indiana at (3) Connecticut, 3 p.m. (ABC)
(7) Phoenix at (2) Minnesota, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
(5) Seattle at (4) Las Vegas, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Atlanta at New York. 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Seattle at Las Vegas, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Wednesday, Sept. 25
Indiana at Connecticut, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Phoenix at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Thursday, Sept. 26
New York at Atlanta, if necessary
Las Vegas at Seattle, if necessary
Friday, Sept. 27
Connecticut at Indiana, if necessary
Minnesota at Phoenix, if necessary
