Bonner scores 21, Thomas and Jones have double-doubles to help new-look Sun beat Mystics 80-74

May 21, 2023, 09:32 pm

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- — DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points, Alyssa Thomas had 14 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and three steals to help the Connecticut Sun rally from a 12-point deficit to beat the Washington Mystics 80-74 Sunday.

Brionna Jones added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Connecticut (2-0).

Shakira Austin scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Elena Delle Donne had 19 points and also had 11 boards for the Mystics (1-1).

Tyasha Harris hit a 3-pointer to close the third quarter and pull the Sun within a point and Jones made a putback to give the Sun their first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter before Rebecca Allen hit a 3 to cap a 13-2 run and make it 67-60 with 5:59 remaining.

Connecticut never again trailed.

Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP, missed a clean look in the paint that would've made it a one-possession game with 37 seconds left and then fouled out about 10 seconds later.

The teams play again in Washington on Tuesday.

Stefanie White — who last coached in the WNBA with Indiana from 2015-16 and helped the Fever to back-to-back playoff berths including a trip to the 2015 WNBA Finals — replaced Curt Miller, now with the Los Angeles Sparks, as Connecticut's coach in November. Meanwhile, four-time All-Star and 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones forced a trade in the offseason from the Sun to the New York Liberty after helping the club to back-to-back Finals appearances and three straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Delle Donne made a layup to spark a 10-0 run that gave Washington a 14-3 lead when she capped the spurt with a pull-up jumper midway through the first quarter. The Mystics led until Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and scored in the lane to make it 59-58 with eight minutes to play.

Kelly Broomfield limped off the court with an apparent ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return, leaving just two officials the rest of the game.

White challenged a foul called on Olivia Nelson-Ododa early in the fourth quarter and won, but the foul was instead assessed to Jones, her fourth personal. Jones, who picked up her third foul with 5:32 left in the first half, fouled out — for the second time this season — with 17 seconds left.