Connecticut Sun Overwhelms Seattle Storm: Brionna Jones Explodes for 26 Points in 93-86 Win

The Connecticut Sun are back to the grind involved with tuning up and locking down favorable seeding for the WNBA playoffs, the second-half schedule as grueling as things were before the break.

Playing their eighth game in 17 days since resuming the season, with a day game at home following a night game in Washington Saturday, the Sun had enough in the tank to outlast another playoff team, the Seattle Storm, 93-86, Sunday before 8,910 at sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena.

It was Brionna Jones’ day to emerge within Connecticut’s deep cast, with its multiple ways to win, scoring 26 points, eight coming during a critical fourth-quarter stretch. Jones, averaging 12.7 points per game coming in, missed nearly all last season after rupturing her Achilles. She may be rediscovering her top form at the best time, finishing this game 9 for 13 from the floor.

“I just told her, ‘welcome back,’ when I saw her in the hallway,” coach Stephanie White said. “She’s struggled over the last four or five games, and it was nice to see her out there with a little bit of bounce, finishing around the rim, getting good looks. When you’re somebody like Breezy, you have to be physical on defense, the physicality against her on offense, but she was huge for us.”

DiJonai Carrington scored 14. Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, who was honored before the game for her recent ascent to No. 4 on the league’s career scoring list, were in complementary roles on this day, but that’s how the Sun (24-8), with the second best record in The W, have been rolling all year. The quick turnaround from the victory at Washington, in which they made 14 threes, on Saturday proved to be no issue, the Sun leading nearly wire-to-wire, this time going inside to hang onto their lead.

“Early on, we were getting some post-up looks and it was working,” Jones said. “So we went back to that. Working that inside-out game, we did such a great job last game knocking down our threes, we need that versatility, being able to do both.”

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It was a homecoming day for two former UConn standouts. Gabby Williams, who has returned from the league after a two-year hiatus to concentrate on her duties for France’s Olympic team, has provided a spark for the Storm (19-13), clinched a playoff spot on Friday and have the fifth best record in the league. But Williams, in the starting lineup, went 1-for-7 and finished with four points. Recent UConn grad Nika Muhl had most of her former Huskies teammates in the building cheering her on, but she didn’t get into the game — though the crowd was chanting for her during a timeout during the final minutes.

Jewell Lloyd led Seattle with 27 points.

The Sun jumped out to a 10-4 lead with all five starters checking into the scoring column. Lloyd picked up the hot hand, going 4 for 6 in the first quarter, hitting a long three to tie the game at 13. The teams stayed close the rest of the quarter.

Lloyd got off only one shot in the second quarter, the Sun’s defensive specialists making the adjustments, and Connecticut got some separation. Thomas was limited by a leg injury, playing only 11 minutes in the first half, Jones and Carrington each scored nine points and Ty Harris added seven as the Sun took a 42-34 lead into the half, Jones finishing the second quarter with a 3-point play.

Thomas was back on the floor in the third quarter, contributing more in the rebounding and passing, and helped the Sun build out a double-digit lead. Thomas had six points, six assists and six rebounds through three quarters, and Jones had 18 points, as Connecticut held a 65-56 advantage going into the fourth.

Connecticut Sun rout Washington Mystics 96-85, DeWanna Bonner becomes WNBA’s No. 4 all-time scorer

“Coming back from the injuries, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” Jones said. “Some days I feel great, some days I feel a little sore and wore down. I still don’t feel 100 percent, but there’s time before the playoffs and that’s the right time to peak.”

Seattle pulled within four with 4 1/2 minutes to play, but Jones scored on a strong move to the basket, drawing a foul, to help regain Connecticut’s momentum. She drew a foul and made both next time down the floor, the Sun holding in 76-70, then made it eight straight points, converting two more passes from Thomas.

“Nobody cares that we had a back-to-back or we were tired,” Jones said. “It’s being ready mentally and physically once we step on that court.”

Veronica Burton, with a field goal, Harris and Thomas with free throws, and Marina Mabrey, a lay-in, contributed important points down the stretch. Twice Seattle made it a one-possession game, and the Sun struggled to put it away at the line until Burton (11 points) hit two with 7.8 seconds left.

“Back to back, less than 24 hours between tip times, traveling both places, an hour commute to the airports, it was a tough one, but we can’t give in to that,” White said. “It was one of those gut-check games for us and I’m proud of our group.”

Mabrey had 15 points, Carrington 14 points, Harris 13. Thomas eight points, rebounds and assists. Thomas injured her right leg at Washington on Saturday, and went out for stretches after getting hit in the same area, but she played 28 minutes and its safe to say the Sun would not have won had she not toughed it out.

“The things that girl can do are crazy,” Harris said. “She’s the engine. When she went down the first time, we were a little scared, but we knew what it was and she was going to get back up and play through it all.”