WNBA Capsules: Sun top Wings 93-87 for 1st 20-win season in 5 years
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Alyssa Thomas scored 23 points, Jonquel Jones had 20 points and 17 rebounds and the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Dallas Wings 93-87 on Wednesday night.
Kayla Thornton’s 3-pointer pulled the Wings to 89-85 with 24 seconds left, but Jasmine Thomas made two free throws at the other end. The Sun hit six straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal it.
Jasmine Thomas added 17 points, and Shekinna Stricklen 14 to help Connecticut (20-10) reach 20 wins for the first time since 2012. Alyssa Thomas also had seven rebounds and five assists, and Jones made 8 of 11 shots.
Dallas (14-17) was without Glory Johnson, who was serving a one-game suspension for throwing a punch at Atlanta Dream guard Matee Ajavon.
Skylar Diggins-Smith led the Wings with 19 points. Allisha Gray added 18 points, Theresa Plaisance had 17, and Karima Christmas-Kelly 15.
Liberty 71, Fever 50
INDIANAPOLIS – Sugar Rodgers scored all 16 of her points in the first half and New York beat Indiana for its sixth straight victory.
Rodgers only attempted one shot in the second half and played just 20 minutes.
Tina Charles added 13 points and nine rebounds for New York (18-12). Bria Hartley had 12 points, and Epiphanny Prince 11.
Candice Dupree scored 12 points for Indiana (9-22), which has lost five straight. Erica Wheeler and Jeanette Pohlen-Mavunga each added 10 points. Indiana was 1 of 10 from 3-point range and shot 34.5 percent overall.
The Fever got to 11 points with eight minutes to go, but New York closed on a 15-5 run.
Indiana was granted an emergency hardship exemption to fill the roster after Briann January became the third Fever guard with a season-ending injury. Newly signed rookie Jennie Simms played 13 scoreless minutes.
Dream 89, Storm 83
ATLANTA – Sancho Lyttle scored 18 points, Layshia Clarendon had a team-record 14 assists and Atlanta beat Seattle Sto end a nine-game losing streak.
Brittney Sykes had a key 3-pointer and two free throws as the Dream scored nine straight points in the final 70 seconds. She scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half.
Clarendon finished with 17 points for Atlanta (11-20). Breanna Stewart had 18 points, and Crystal Langhorne added 17 points and 10 rebounds for Seattle (14-16).