UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Alyssa Thomas scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Connecticut Sun in an 83-68 victory over the Sparks on Sunday, snapping the Sparks’ six-game win streak.

Azurá Stevens finished with 17 points to lead the Sparks (15-19), who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the 12-team league, leading Chicago (14-21) by 1½ games with six games left in the regular season.

Thomas was 6 for 11 from the floor and 5 for 6 from the free-throw line for Connecticut (24-11), which has already clinched a playoff berth. Thomas has 25 double-doubles this season. She added eight assists. DeWanna Bonner moved into seventh place on the all-time scoring list. She scored 12 points to break a tie with Sue Bird. Bonner has 6,815 career points. She also had eight rebounds.

Stevens scored eight points to help the Sparks take a 20-19 lead into the second quarter.

Thomas had 12 points by halftime for the Sun, who shot nearly 61% from the floor (17 for 28) in taking a 43-38 lead at intermission. Stevens had 12 points by halftime for the Sparks, who shot 43% (15 for 35).

Bonner and Tiffany Hayes sank shots in the first 50 seconds of the third quarter to extend Connecticut’s lead to nine points. Katie Samuelson buried a 3-pointer and Nneka Ogwumike followed with a three-point play to pull the Sparks within 57-55 midway through the period.

Layshia Clarendon and Samuelson missed 3-point attempts with a chance to tie before Tyasha Harris connected from behind the arc to give the Sun a two-possession lead. Thomas sank three of four free-throw attempts in the final minute, Harris hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left and Connecticut took its largest lead of the game to that point into the fourth quarter at 69-57.

Clarendon finished with 13 points and six assists for the Sparks, while Ogwumike scored 11.

Rebecca Allen sank three 3-pointers and scored 14 for the Sun. Natisha Hiedeman scored 12, while Hayes pitched in with 11 points and seven assists. Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 11 points and 11 boards off the bench.

The Sparks host Chicago in a critical game Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Chicago has won two of the first three meetings this season and would secure the season tiebreaker with a win on Tuesday.

Related Articles