Jones scores 19, Sun beat Fever 94-85 for third straight win
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Jonquel Jones scored 19 points and the Connecticut Sun beat the Indiana Fever 94-85 on Friday night for their third straight victory.
DeWanna Bonner had 18 points and Alyssa Thomas added 17 for Connecticut (3-1), which put six players in double figures. DiJonai Carrington and Brionna Jones scored 11 apiece, while Natisha Heideman finished with 10.
The Sun have won by an average margin of more than 17 points since a season-opening loss to the New York Liberty.
There were four ties and 10 lead changes before Heideman converted a three-point play and followed 37 seconds later with a 3-pointer to make 48-43. The Sun led the rest of the way.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting for Indiana (2-5). Victoria Vivians scored 15 points and Danielle Robinson had 10.
NaLyssa Smith, the No. 2 overall selection in last month’s draft, did not play for the Fever. She was listed as a game-time decision but missed her second consecutive game due to a right ankle injury.
Indiana, which went into the game 11th in the 12-team WNBA at 39.9%, shot a season-high 54% (34 of 63) and limited the Sun shot just 43.7% (31 of 71). Connecticut hit 11 of 19 from 3-point range, outscored the Fever 21-11 from the free throw line and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds.
MYSTICS 78, DREAM 73
ATLANTA — Ariel Atkins scored 18 points, Natasha Cloud added 17 and the Washington Mystics erased a double-digit deficit in the second-half to beat the Atlanta Dream 78-73 on Friday night.
There were two ties and three lead changes in the final 2 1/2 minutes, the last of which came when Tianna Hawkins made two free throws to give the Mystics a 74-73 lead with 41.5 seconds left. After Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard missed a jumper, Cloud made two foul shots and Atkins stole a pass and added two more free throws to cap the scoring with 19 seconds remaining.
Howard hit four 3-pointers and led Atlanta (4-2) with 21 points. The No. 1 selection in last month’s draft, Howard is averaging 20.5 points while shooting 46.7% from behind the arc. Her 21 made 3s through six career games are second in WNBA history. Ruthie Bolton had 23 for the Sacramento Monarchs in 1997.
Cheyenne Parker scored 13 points, Nia Coffey had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Erica Wheeler added 11 points for the Dream.
Hawkins added 11 points for Washington (5-1) and rookie Shakira Austin had 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Atlanta scored 10 consecutive points to take a 56-46 lead when Wheeler hit a 3-pointer midway through the third quarter. The Mystics responded with an 11-0 run soon after.
STORM 83, SPARKS 80
SEATTLE – Breanna Stewart scored 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting and Seattle held on for a victory over Los Angeles.
Ezi Magbegor had nine points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Jewell Loyd added 11 points for the Storm (3-3) and has reached double-figure scoring in 155 games since 2016 — most in the WNBA.
Liz Cambage led Los Angeles with 25 points and eight rebounds. Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and Brittney Sykes scored 10.
The Sparks (2-4) have lost four in a row after back-to-back wins to start the season.
