It’s been nearly a year since the Connecticut Sun lost a home game, and they made sure to keep the streak alive Tuesday night.
Entering Tuesday’s contest against the Washington Mystics, the Sun had won the last 10 regular-season games played at Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut continued that trend with an 83-75 victory against the top-scoring team in the WNBA.
Jonquel Jones came just shy of her fifth double-double of the season, notching 24 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday’s game. Courtney Williams was close behind with 23 points and seven boards.
Shekinna Stricklen had herself one heck of a game as well, scoring 12 points on four 3-pointers.
It was Connecticut’s fourth win in a row as they improved to 6-1 on the season, but it wasn’t the prettiest game it’s played this season. The Mystics dropped to 4-2 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
STARTING FIVE
PG: Jasmine Thomas
SG: Courtney Williams
SF: Shekinna Stricklen
PF: Alyssa Thomas
C: Jonquel Jones
MYSTICS MAINTAIN TIGHT LEAD
The Sun kept things close with the Mystics through the first 10 minutes of the game, but went down early.
Jasmine Thomas got the scoring started for Connecticut with a lightning-fast play for two.
.@jaszthomas gets to the hoop QUICK! ⚡️@ConnecticutSun vs. Mystics LIVE on @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/1jjHQkH92D
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 11, 2019
The Mystics took a quick 8-4 lead not long after, but Stricklen broutgh the Sun within one with her first bucket of the game.
Williams tied the game at 16 points apiece with an impressive shot from downtown.
Connecticut tied it again at 18-all, but the Mystics led the Sun 24-18 after the first quarter.
SUN KEEP THINGS CLOSE
Connecticut wasn’t able to take the lead in the second, but it certainly made things close.
After Washington hit the first basket of the quarter, Jones took it to the hole to get two points back for the Sun.
Connecticut allowed Washington to score go on a 6-0 run, which ended with a Bria Holmes three ball.
Another key bucket by Williams made it a one-point game with less than three minutes left in the half.
But turnovers were not Connecticut’s friend through the first half, and it cost the team several points down the stretch.
Despite ending the half down 37-33, the Sun outscored the Mystics in the second quarter by two. Jones paced Connecticut with 10 points and six rebounds.
SUN TAKE LEAD
It was comeback time for the Sun in the second half, but they didn’t get off to the greatest start. The Mystics went on a 6-0 run before Williams sank the Sun’s first basket of the half.
Connecticut eventually allowed Washington to take a seven-point lead before Jones sank back-to-back 3-point shots, bringing the Sun within two.
The Sun eventually took their first lead of the game off of a Jones fadeaway over Elena Delle Donne.
Connecticut briefly gave up the lead, but Stricklen took it right back.
The Sun started to gain momentum in the final moments of the quarter, entering the fourth with a 60-55 lead off of a Layshia Clarendon trey.
CONNECTICUT PULLS AHEAD
Washington wouldn’t go away quietly, but Connecticut maintained a healthy lead on the Mystics throughout the final quarter.
The Sun broke things open in the last seven minutes of the game, starting with Stricklen’s third 3-pointer of the night.
Stricklen hit her fourth three of the night just a minute later.
Jones piled on to Connecticut’s lead with her 22nd point of the game.
Despite taking an 11-point lead in the final minutes, Connecticut allowed Washington would cut the lead to five in the final seconds of the game. But it was too little too late for the Mystics, who dropped their second game of the season to the Sun.
PLAY OF THE GAME
What. A. Shot.
UP NEXT
The Sun will take off for Minnesota where they will square off against the Lynx at the Target Center on Friday. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET.
