UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Brionna Jones scored a season-high 22 points, Alyssa Thomas added 15 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, and the Connecticut Sun held off the Dallas Wings 74-72 on Friday night for their seventh straight win to start the season.
Connecticut is the only unbeaten team in the WNBA and stretched its best opening mark in franchise history. The 2018 and ’21 teams each started 5-0.
The Sun built a 59-50 lead heading into the fourth quarter before Sevgi Uzun’s 3-pointer gave the Wings a 72-69 lead with 1:20 remaining. Thomas scored the next four points and Tyasha Harris split a pair of free throws to cap the scoring with 1.2 seconds left.
Following a Wings’ timeout, Uzun cut through the lane for the inbounds pass, but Harris knocked the ball out of her hands to end it.
Jones was 10 of 14 from the field. Thomas finished 6-of-11 shooting and scored eight of the Sun’s 15 points in the fourth quarter. DeWanna Bonner, who reached 7,000 career points in a 70-47 win against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, added 12 points.
LIBERTY 90, MYSTICS 79
NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 24 points, Kayla Thornton added 20 and New York used a late scoring run to defeat Washington.
Breanna Stewart had 18 points, 15 rebounds and five assists and Jonquel Jones scored 16 for the Liberty. Every New York starter played at least 30 minutes and they combined to score 86 points.
The Mystics led twice in the game — both times in the fourth quarter. Aaliyah Edwards made it 75-74 for the Mystics at the five-minute mark of the fourth. Soon after, the Mystics were assessed a technical foul for delay of game and Breanna Stewart made two free throws to give New York the lead for good.
Washington went 2 1/2 minutes without scoring, New York added a couple of 3-pointers and the Liberty made six free throws in the final 90 seconds to seal it.
Ariel Atkins scored 15 points, Shakira Austin 12, Myisha Hines-Allen 11 and Jade Melbourne also had 11 for Washington.
DREAM 78, ACES 74
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Allisha Gray had 24 points, Rhyne Howard scored 16 and Atlanta beat Las Vegas.
After A’ja Wilson made a step-back basket from 16 feet away to give the Aces a 60-56 lead with 7:57 left to play, Atlanta went on a 9-2 run to take the lead for good. Gray made a pair of 3-pointers wrapped around a three-point play by Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and the Dream led 65-62 with 5:41 left.
Gray made a pair of foul shots to extend the lead to 69-64 before Clark buried a 3-pointer to get Las Vegas within two.
Wilson made two foul shots with 1:56 remaining to again reduce Las Vegas’ deficit to two. The Dream missed a shot and then fouled Jackie Young with 1:25 left to play. Young made 1 of 2 to get the Aces within 71-70 but Atlanta held them off at the foul line in the final minute.
Wilson scored 28 points, Kelsey Plum 19 and Young 15 for the two-time defending-champion Aces.
LYNX 95, MERCURY 71
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alissa Pili scored 20 points, Napheesa Collier posted her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Minnesota cruised to a victory over Phoenix, handing them their fourth straight defeat.
Pili sank 7 of 9 shots from the floor, including all four of her 3-pointers.
Dorka Juhász had 13 points and Cecilia Zandalasini scored 12 for Minnesota. Courtney Williams pitched in with 11 points and five assists.
Kahleah Copper hit three 3-pointers and scored 21 to lead the Mercury. Diana Taurasi added 14 points and Sophie Cunningham scored 13. Natasha Mack had 10 rebounds to go with eight points.
Alanna Smith scored seven of her eight points in the first quarter to help the Lynx take a 21-12 lead.
Williams sank two 3-pointers and Bridget Carleton had one to cap an 11-2 run to give Minnesota a 55-26 lead with 1:12 left before halftime. Copper scored the final five points before the break and the Mercury trailed by 24.
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