DeWanna Bonner poured in 29 points and Marina Mabrey added 17 in her first game with Connecticut after a trade as the Sun rolled to a 109-91 win over the Dallas Wings on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in the teams’ return to league play after the month-long break for the All-Star Game and the Paris Olympics.
The Sun (19-6) took charge with an 11-0 run midway through the first quarter, led by 12 at the half and by 21 late in the third quarter before letting off the accelerator. Connecticut kept pace with New York by winning for the second time in its past four contests and remains in second place in the league standings, 2 1/2 games behind the Liberty.
Tyasha Harris had 14 points for Connecticut while Alyssa Thomas had 12 points and 14 assists and Brionna Jones also hit for 12 points. The Sun’s offensive output was their most of the season as well as the most points allowed by Dallas in 2024.
Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas (6-20) with 21 points. Satou Sabally, in her first game of the year for the Wings after missing 25 games with a shoulder injury, had 20 points, Natasha Howard amassed 17 points and 11 rebounds, Teaira McCowan added 12 and Jacy Sheldon had 10 points.
The Wings roared out of the gate, scoring the game’s initial eight points before Connecticut responded with an 11-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Bonner at the 4:43 mark of the opening quarter. The Sun led 27-20 after 10 minutes of play.
Connecticut used its long-distance shooting to expand its lead to 35-24 as Harris canned a second-chance 3-pointer with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Wings clawed back to within 42-38 after Howard’s free throw with 2:42 to play in the period but Connecticut responded, ending the half by scoring the final eight points to go up 50-38 at the break.
Mabrey and Bonner led the Sun with 13 points each before halftime while Ogunbowale had 10 to pace Dallas.
–Field Level Media
