Bonner helps Phoenix end losing streak with win over Connecticut

Connecticut’s Brittney Griner (42) is defended by Phoenix’ s DeWanna Bonner during Sunday night’s WNBA game in Phoenix. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Phoenix’s DeWanna Bonner may be 38 years old but she can still play.

Bonner had a game and season-high 21 points as the Mercury snapped a five-game losing streak Sunday night with a 72-63 win over the Connecticut Sun before a sellout crowd of 13,481 in Phoenix.

Bonner sank 7-of-13 shots from the floor and pulled down six rebounds. One of the prettiest baskets came in the final two minutes when teammate Alyssa Thomas just lofted a pass to the corner of the backboard – a spot only where Bonner could grab it.

Bonner ripped it out of the air and bounced it is in off the background. She was fouled on the play and completed the three-point play to extend Phoenix’s lead to eight points with 1:56 remaining.

On Friday night, the Sun (7-19) grabbed an early lead and never let it go. On Sunday, Phoenix (9-18) led virtually from the start and while the Sun could get close, they couldn’t regain the lead.

Connecticut did cut the lead to one point with 4:42 remaining in the game when rookie Charliesse Leger-Walker split the defense and drove to the basket to cut the Phoenix lead to 63-62.

But Kahleah Copper took a pretty pass from Thomas and scored just seconds later to extend the lead to three, 65-67. After a Sun turnover, Copper was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to five, 67-62 with 3:55 remaining.

Copper finished with 21 points while Thomas scored seven and had a game-high 11 assists.

“I’m just trying to be aggressive and trying to figure out different ways to score,” Bonner said. “I’ve been playing a little bit of the five (center) since Mac been out. I started out playing coming off the bench coming in at a as a guard. I’m just trying to figure out where I can score and how I can score. I always been one to like let the game come to me and like read the game.”

With six rebounds, Bonner became the career leader for rebounds with Phoenix, surpassing the record set by Brittney Griner of 2322. Griner, now with the Sun, played 11 seasons in Phoenix from 2013-24.

The Sun were hampered by turnovers – 21, the second-highest in a single game all season and Connecticut shot 37.9 percent from the floor, their third worst shooting performance of the year.

“We were too soft,” Sun coach Rachid Meziane said. “We knew that they would play this game with more pride, with more energy. And I don’t think that today we match their energy. And we struggle too much against their own defense.

“We have to respond by showing character,” he said. “I don’t think that tonight we showed the right character.”

Brittney Griner led the Sun with 19 points and Olivia Nelson Ododa had 12 but no one else was in double figures. Leila Lacan, who had a career-high 26 points in Friday night’s win, had just seven points. Diamond Miller scored six. Aaliyah Edwards, who had 21 points on Friday night, played just over four minutes, slowed by a banged up right knee, and didn’t score a point.

This was game two of a six-game road trip for the Sun. Connecticut travels to Indiana on Wednesday to face Caitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever. That game will be broadcast on USA Network beginning at 8 p.m.