UNCASVILLE, Conn. — DeWanna Bonner had 22 points and six of Connecticut’s 14 steals, DiJonai Carrington added 21 points, and the Sun used a big fourth quarter to beat the Washington Mystics, 84-77, on Friday night.
Connecticut has won 10 of the last 11 regular-season meetings with Washington.
Connecticut trailed 62-56 with 8:18 left in the fourth quarter before scoring the next 15 points to take a 71-62 lead. The Sun finished with 32 points in quarter after scoring just 36 in the first half.
Julie Vanloo, a 31-year-old rookie, completed a 3-point play with 1:50 left to get Washington within 75-72 but Tyasha Harris answered with a basket and free throw at the other end.
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Bonner grabbed an offensive rebound and made a shot in the paint with 27.1 seconds left for an 82-75 lead and she added two free throws on Connecticut's next possession to seal it.
Alyssa Thomas, coming off the ninth regular season triple-double of her career, finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists for Connecticut (2-0). Thomas and Carrington combined to make 14 straight free throws as Connecticut went 24 of 26. Bonner, who moved into fifth all-time in scoring in WNBA history on Tuesday, was 9 of 19 from the field including 0 of 6 from distance.
Karlie Samuelson led Washington (0-2) with 18 points. Vanloo finished with 12 points and eight assists, and Shakira Austin had 10 points and nine rebounds. Brittney Sykes was helped off the court in the first half with an apparent left ankle injury and she did not return.
Samuelson made all five of her shots in the first half, including her fourth 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining before halftime to tie it at 36-all. The four 3-pointers tied her career-high for an entire game. Connecticut was just 2 of 13 from distance in the first half and finished 2 of 20.
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