Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Jonquel Jones scored 20 points to lead five Connecticut scorers in double figures as the visiting Sun ended the Las Vegas Aces’ seven-game winning streak with a 97-90 victory on Thursday night.
DeWanna Bonner scored 19 points, Courtney Williams had 18, Alyssa Thomas added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Brionna Jones scored 10 as the Sun (7-3) bounced back from an 89-81 loss at Las Vegas two nights earlier.
Jackie Young scored 26 points, Kelsey Plum had 23, Dearica Hamby added 15 and A’ja Wilson had 13 to lead the Aces (9-2). Plum dished out a game-high eight assists.
Connecticut head coach Curt Miller returned to the bench after a two-game absence due to the league’s health and safety protocol.
Plum scored eight straight Aces points to help them pull within 59-58 early in the third quarter.
The Sun increased the lead to 73-64 on a 3-pointer by Jonquel Jones.
Plum assisted on consecutive three-point plays by Young and added a layup to get Las Vegas within 73-72.
Jonquel Jones answered with a 3-pointer and Brionna Jones added a basket that gave Connecticut a 78-72 lead at the end of the period.
The Aces closed within four points before the Sun increased the lead to 87-76.
Hamby scored eight straight points to pull Las Vegas within 87-84 with 4:54 to play, but Brionna Jones scored five straight points to increase Connecticut’s lead to 92-84 a minute later.
Plum scored four straight points to pull the Aces within four with 2:55 to go, but the Sun scored the next four points from the foul line to take an eight-point lead with 1:32 left.
Bonner made back-to-back 3-pointers as the Sun used a 13-0 run to take a 15-5 lead.
The Aces got within two points before Connecticut scored seven consecutive points to take a 22-13 lead.
The Sun led by as many as 18 points before holding a 37-22 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Wilson scored six points and Hamby had five as Las Vegas finished with a 17-2 run to close within 53-50 at halftime.
–Field Level Media