The Connecticut Sun celebrate during Wednesday morning’s game against Seattle at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Sun beat Seattle to snap a 10-game losing streak. (Photo by Khoi Ton/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Connecticut Sun came into Wednesday morning’s camp day matinee against Seattle at the Mohegan Sun Arena on a franchise-record 10-game losing streak. The Sun were the lowest scoring team in the league and the team that gives up the most points.
Yet, it was the Sun who limited Seattle to just two points in the final 3:24 as Connecticut earned their first victory since June 6 with a stunning 93-83 win over the visiting Seattle Storm before a vocal crowd of nearly 8,000 comprised of thousands of energetic youngsters from day camps across the state.
Seattle (12-8) came into the game with victories in six of their last eight games, including an impressive nine-point win over the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty in Brooklyn on Sunday.
Tina Charles, despite a sore left shoulder that has bothered the veteran forward throughout the season, scored a season-high 29 points and pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds along with one block to lead Connecticut (3-16).
Jacy Sheldon had a season-high 16 points and converted on 4-of-6 shots from three-point range. Bria Hartley added 15 points – all in the first half – along with five assists and a steal. The Sun scored a season-high 93 points and leading scorer Marina Mabrey missed her sixth straight game with a knee injury.
Seattle lost despite 21 points from UConn alum Gabby Williams and 23 points from guard Skylar Diggins. Nneka Ogwimike added 12 points for the Storm.
“You can see when we play with energy, intensity and some consistency, we are capable of competing against one of the best teams in the league,” Sun head coach Rachid Mechane said. “I am very proud of what my team did this morning.”
Camp day games begin at 11 a.m. “I don’t like the time of it but I love the results when young girls can dream big,” Charles said.
Seattle led by eight points as the fourth quarter began, 74-66. They had a five-point lead with 6:57 left in the game after a Williams jumper. In the final 3:24 of the game, Seattle went 1-for-5 from the floor, turned the ball over twice and had a shot blocked.
“We disrespected Connecticut and we got what we deserved,” Williams said. “They’re professionals. We went OK, now we’re up (and) we can relax. We stopped playing basketball.
“They didn’t give up and didn’t quit,” Williams said of the Sun. “They kept playing and we stopped. We thought our job was done.”
Seattle led by as many as 14 points but Connecticut kept it close.
Rookie Saniya Rivers helped Connecticut get off to a good start in the third quarter. She scored 11 points in a 16-8 run by the Sun that tied the game at 57-57 with 5:12 left in the third quarter. Charles had eight in the third quarter.
Seattle led by eight opening the fourth quarter but the Sun quickly cut into that lead with a 9-3 run fueled by Lelia Lacan with back-to-back baskets and Sheldon draining a three-point shot. The Sun took their first lead of the game, 79-77, on a turnaround jumper from Tina Charles with 5:36 to play in the fourth.
Connecticut returns to action on Friday night when they travel back to the West Coast to take on Seattle at 10 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ION.
Connecticut 93, Seattle 83
At Uncasville
Seattle (83) Ogwumike 5-15 1-2 12, Williams 9-14 1-1 21, Magbegor 5-8 3-4 13, Diggins 8-19, 6-7 23, Wheeler 3-9 2-2 10, Clark 1-4 2-3 4, Malonga 0-0 0-0 0, Cooke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-69 15-19
Connecticut (93) Charles 11-22 7-8 29, Nelson-Ododa 3-7 2-2 8, Hartley 4-8 4-4 15, Sheldon 5-8 2-2 16, Rivers 4-9 2-2 11,Peters 0-0 0-0 0, Morrow 2-5 2-2 6, Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Lacan 3-6 2-2 8. Totals 32-65 21-22.
Seattle (12-8) 27 22 25 9 – 83
Connecticut (3-16) 18 23 25 27 — 93
Three-point goals: Seattle 6-25 (Ogwumike 1-6, Williams 2-5, Magbegor 0-1, Diggins1-5, Wheeler 2-5, Clark 0-3); Connecticut 8-18 (Hartley 3-5, Sheldon 4-6, Rivers 1-3, Morrow 0-1, Lacan 0-3)
