DeWanna Bonner scored 24 points, Alyssa Thomas had 14 assists, 13 points, and 10 rebounds, while DiJonai Carrington made key plays late to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 78-73 on Thursday night.
Napheesa Collier, a star player for the Lynx, left the game in the third quarter due to a foot injury. She scored nine points, ending her streak of scoring in double figures in 29 consecutive games.
Bonner shot 10 of 16 from the field with two 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds for the Sun (16-4). They have won two games in a row after losing three of their last four.
Thomas matched her highest number of assists this season, and Carrington scored 17 points, hitting 3 of 4 shots from beyond the arc.
Alanna Smith led the Lynx (14-6) with 14 points before fouling out. Kayla McBride added 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Lynx started the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run, tying the score at 64 with 8:26 left. Bonner responded with a 3-pointer and a three-point play to put the Sun ahead 70-64, and they maintained the lead for the rest of the game.
Carrington blocked McBride’s layup attempt with 28 seconds left, preventing the Lynx from narrowing the lead to two points. She also made two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to extend the Sun’s lead to six. McBride hit a 3-pointer, but Carrington countered with a layup to secure the victory.
Bonner scored 11 points in the first quarter, helping Connecticut to a 20-17 lead.
Veronica Burton’s 3-pointer gave the Sun a 32-24 advantage with 4:42 left in the second quarter. However, McBride scored two 3-pointers and Carleton and Smith each added one in a 16-4 run to end the half, and the Lynx went into halftime leading 40-36.
