The Connecticut Sun staved off elimination in Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals by taking down the Chicago Sky, 104-80, at Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday night.
The Sun’s victory ties up the series at 2-2 and forces a winner-take-all Game 5.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Needing a win to keep their season alive, the Sun played like it. They dictated play from the opening whistle and never trailed in the contest.
Connecticut set the tone in a myriad of ways, but probably most importantly with a tremendous start as they got out to a 22-6 lead.
The Sun also turned in stellar offensive showing, something they’ve had difficulty with against the Sky’s stingy defense. Strong ball movement opened up the floor, with Connecticut shooting a pristine 56.9% from the field. The Sun ended up hitting a high-water mark for points this postseason and set a WNBA postseason record for points in the paint.
Connecticut’s defense was not to be outdone, though. They hustled all over the floor and controlled the boards as they held a 39-23 rebound advantage. The Sun also bottled up Sky star Candance Parker to just 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting.
It was a complete performance from the Sun and the 24-point victory was the largest margin between the two teams in eight matchups this season. All of the previous seven were decided by single digits. But the job isn’t done yet for the Sun as they still have a major challenge ahead to try to reach the WNBA Finals.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Alyssa Thomas picked a good time to break out of her scoring funk as she finished with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists.
— DeWanna Bonner stepped up for Connecticut by scoring 19 points, but her biggest impact came on the defensive end. Bonner spearheaded the Sun’s terrific defensive effort by grabbing six rebounds along with registering four steals and three blocks. Bonner also moved into fifth all-time in WNBA history for postseason rebounds in the win.
— Courtney Williams delivered in the third quarter to keep the Sky at-bay. The veteran guard scored 10 of her 19 points in the frame, as her strong off-ball movement set herself up for easy shots around the basket.
WAGER WATCH
The Sun scored over 80 points for the first time in the series. DraftKings Sportsbook set Connecticut’s over/under at 80.5 and the Sun easily hit the Over in large part thanks to a 58-point first half — they had 83 points by the end of the third quarter. Betting $100 on the over with -110 odds would have netted a total payout of $190.91.
UP NEXT
Either the Sun or the Sky will head to the WNBA Finals on Thursday night with the two teams squaring off in Game 5. Tipoff from Wintrust Arena in Chicago is set for 8 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on ESPN 2.
