DeWanna Bonner produced a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun stayed perfect with a 69-50 road victory over the Atlanta Dream Sunday in College Park, Ga.
DiJonai Carrington poured in 15 points for the Sun (8-0), who have won their first eight games, a franchise record.
Tyasha Harris scored 13 points and Alyssa Thomas nearly had a triple-double with eight points, 14 boards and 11 assists for the WNBA’s only unbeaten team.
Atlanta (4-3) saw its two-game winning streak snapped despite a double-double from Tina Charles, who scored 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
Facing off in the first Commissioner’s Cup game of the year for both teams, the Dream and Sun played a tightly contested first quarter that featured six ties and ended with the score tied at 17-17.
Thomas gave the Sun the lead for good at 24-23 with 5:32 to play in the half and Bonner pulled up for a long 3-pointer a minute later to push the advantage to 27-23.
Connecticut stretched its lead to 32-25 at the 3:22 mark of the half on a fadeaway jumper by Bri Jones, forcing Atlanta to burn a timeout.
Bonner cut inside and scored with 1:41 left for the Sun’s first double-digit lead and then drilled a 3-pointer from up top 30 seconds later as Connecticut led 39-25.
Those shots were part of a backbreaking 20-6 run over the final eight minutes of the half that propelled Connecticut to a 39-27 lead.
The Dream did not make a field goal in the last 4:04 of the half.
Allisha Gray ended the field goal drought for Atlanta with 9:10 to play in the third on a layup, cutting the lead to 39-29, but the Sun continued to dominate, pushing their lead over 20 on a strong take to the basket by Carrington, who was fouled and hit a free throw for a 51-29 cushion.
The Dream were held scoreless for more than 5 1/2 minutes in the third.
–Field Level Media
