Connecticut’s Lindsay Allen (15) dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Liberty in Friday’s preseason game in Brooklyn. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Tina Charles scored 17 points with six rebounds and two steals while Olivia Nelson-Ododa scored 15 points and pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds as the Connecticut Sun closed out the exhibition season with a 94-86 win over the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty on Friday in Brooklyn.
Marina Mabrey had 13 points and three assists while Jacy Sheldon provided a spark for the Sun in her first start with the team, scoring 16 points and hitting 3-of-4 shots from three-point range.
Connecticut forced 18 New York turnovers and had a 32-23 edge in rebounding. Marine Johannes led New York with 12 points on four 3-point field goals. Breanna Stewart did not play for the Liberty. Jonquel Jones had seven points and Sabrina Ionescu scored eight for New York.
“Connecticut was very physical against us and we didn’t handle that very well. The turnovers, I wasn’t very happy with that. Our decision making wasn’t very great. Our blocking out wasn’t very great. Our discipline wasn’t very great,” New York head coach Sandy Brondello said. “These lessons are so important in our development and we’re still missing some key players who are so impactful.”
Connecticut opens the regular season on Sunday, May 18 when they host Washington at 1 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
