UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jonquel Jones made five 3-points and scored 26 points,
Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and the
Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 96-79 on Friday night.
Connecticut (20-13), winners of eight of nine, secured a first-round bye with
the victory and Los Angeles’ loss at Washington. The Sun moved one-game ahead of
fifth-place Los Angeles, with the teams meeting on Sunday in the regular-season
finale. Connecticut holds the tiebreaker.
Jones made her fourth 3-pointer to extend Connecticut’s lead to 77-67 early in
the fourth quarter. It came during the Sun’s 9-0 run to start the quarter.
Layshia Clarendon added 14 points for Connecticut. Chiney Ogwumike did not play
due to a knee injury.
Sylvia Fowles had 25 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota (17-16). Fowles
passed Taj McWilliams-Franklin for fifth on the WNBA rebounding list with 3,016.
Maya Moore had 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Fowles scored 10 straight Minnesota points to give the Lynx a 26-21 lead. She
made all seven of her shots in the first quarter for 14 points and had 16 by
halftime.
Before the game, Minnesota guard Lindsay Whalen was honored by the Sun for her
six years in Connecticut.
