DeWanna Bonner scores career-high 41 points, Connecticut Sun hand Las Vegas Aces 1st loss

Jun 9, 2023, 01:54 pm

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- — DeWanna Bonner scored a career-high 41 points to set a franchise record and the Connecticut Sun beat the previously unbeaten Las Vegas Aces 94-77 on Thursday night.

Bonner topped her previous high of 38, set in 2016, on a 3-pointer with 2:50 remaining for a 90-67 lead. The previous franchise record was 35, scored by Shannon Johnson in 2000 when the organization was the Orlando Miracle.

On Tuesday, Bonner only had five points in a 90-84 loss to Las Vegas. But Bonner responded by scoring 14 of Connecticut’s opening 20 points on Thursday. Bonner finished 16 of 23 from the field, including 5 of 7 from distance.

“I think I played the worst possible game of my career (Tuesday with five points)," Bonner said. "So I just wanted to come out and be aggressive and then I got the hot hand, so it was like OK, it was go-time at that point. I’ve been struggling all year to shoot the ball, but I don’t know what happened tonight, that was a first for me.”

Las Vegas got within 64-54 early in the fourth quarter before Bonner scored the next seven Connecticut points for a 71-58 lead.

Brionna Jones added 12 points and Tiffany Hayes scored 11 for Connecticut (7-2). Alyssa Thomas had nine points, eight rebounds, 12 assists and three steals.

Kelsey Plum led Las Vegas (7-1) with 16 points. A’ja Wilson scored 13, Chelsea Gray had 12 and Jackie Young added 10. Candace Parker was held to six points in 21 minutes.

Wilson became the second-fastest player in WNBA history, behind Washington's Elena Delle Donne, to reach 3,000-plus points, 1,000 rebounds and 250 blocks.

The two teams played for the WNBA championship last year and the Aces won the franchise's first title.

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