Taurasi has already completed lessons the Sun are still learning

Mohegan Geno Auriemma sat in the front row during an entertaining, if not ultimately disappointing, Sunday afternoon at Mohegan Sun Arena. Turned out the in-full-throat crowd of 8,420 learned all over again that Geno's best line endures right to this second. The coach could have stood up when it was over and told Sun fans the following: They had Diana and you didn't. And really, that was the story. The Phoenix Mercury had Diana Taurasi and the Connecticut Sun didn't.

No, Taurasi wasn't Phoenix's leading scorer in its 88-83 victory. But it was Taurasi's pervasiveness — her will and her attitude — that enabled the more experienced team to withstand a number of punches.

"She's brings a poise and a confidence out on the court," Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said of Lady D, who scored 23 points. "It's not just putting the ball in the right people's hands, but in the big moments she'll make the big plays. You saw that tonight."

The biggest play perhaps came in the second period, moments after Brondello called a timeout. Her team trailed 37-20. The Sun and their young legs threatened to run Phoenix back to the airport. Taurasi took the ball, put her head down, scored and was fouled.

That's how Phoenix approached the rest of the game. No panic. Contrast that with the Sun and their dubious shot selection late in the game. Not from lack of effort or will. But from a lack of never having

been there. Until you've done it, you haven't done it.

This was Taurasi's 49th playoff game.

It was the first for most Sun players.

"It's huge when you've been through the trenches and don't get rattled by those things at the end," Taurasi said. "We've all been through it when we were young, when the end of the game seemed like the biggest deal in the world. Now it's just a game. I think you can use that calmness to help you down the stretch of games."

Funny how Taurasi used the word "calmness." She was hardly a beacon of tranquility during the game. Once, she mouthed a four-letter word in the direction of official Maj Forsberg five times in one possession. Forsberg, who might have summoned the FBI had a lesser player done so, didn't find the fortitude to slap Taurasi with a technical.

This is what happens when you are Diana.

And so you know: This is the same Diana who played at UConn. She was an instigator and a pain in the ascot there, too. She was just playing on your team at the time. Now? She plays for the enemy, which explains how very few other visiting players get booed in Neon Uncasville more than she does.

And so the season of surprise and promise ends for the Connecticuts, who leave their fans as hopeful as they were in the old days. Chiney Ogwumike comes back next year to a young, talented, hungry, together group.

There's a reason the crowd gave them ovation even in defeat Sunday. They were entertained all summer. It'll be better next year. That's a promise. "I enjoy coaching this team so much. I just wanted the journey to continue," new named WNBA Coach of the Year Curt Miller said. "It was a great game. So proud of our team . ... But you've got to give Phoenix a lot of credit. That's a veteran, incredibly talented team that made the plays in a close game. They're a really smart team. They didn't panic when they got down double figures. That speaks to their playoff experience."

The Sun got their playoff experience Sunday. It won't be new next summer. Neither will winning. This was a painful, but necessary day. They just didn't have anyone with Diana Taurasi's swagger. But as everyone else in the league gets a year older, the young, running Sun just might be The Show in 2018.

"We lost tonight and I feel like we won at the same time," Miller said. "We are starting something very, very special here. This year is only the beginning." This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro