The New York Liberty couldn’t figure out how to stop Jonquel Jones, and they paid dearly because of it.
The Connecticut power forward paced all players by a mile offensively, scoring 31 points as the Sun beat the Liberty 85-64 on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena. Connecticut now is 8-2, which moves it into a share of the top spot in the WNBA with the 7-1 Seattle Storm.
The scoreline seemed a little more lopsided than the play much of the night would indicate. Connecticut never completely dominated play the first three quarters, but it built a steady advantage throughout the game to keep New York at arm’s reach much of the night. It was clear after the third quarter that the Sun had beaten New York into submission, and the hosts cruised the rest of the way.
Ultimately, the Liberty just got worked over in the frontcourt. Both of the Sun’s starting forwards — Jones and DeWanna Bonner — and their center, Brionna Jones, finished in double-figures. Jonquel Jones had a double-double, with 13 rebounds in addition to the 31 points. Bonner posted 13 points and Brionna Jones had 14.
Another thing that felled New York was free throws. The Liberty attempted just six free throws the entire night while sending the Sun to the line for 19 opportunities, with Connecticut making 16.
Only one Liberty player scored in double figures, with Rebecca Allen leading New York with 14 points.
Now, the Sun get a few days off before a heavyweight battle. Their next game will be against the Storm on June 13. Tip is set for 2 p.m. ET.
