Sun’s Miller: ‘We left a lot of baskets out there’

Shorthanded Connecticut falls in Phoenix 84-77

Phoenix — The Connecticut Sun managed to cut their double-digit deficit to a point late in Thursday night's WNBA game at the Phoenix Mercury.

It was surprising Connecticut got that close given the circumstances.

The Sun missed too many shots and committed too many fouls to overcome first-place Phoenix and lost 84-77 before 8,599 at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Connecticut shot 34.6 percent. It almost had as many fouls (26) as it had made field goals (28).

Phoenix's Brittney Griner had as many free throws attempts as the Sun (13).

“Tough loss for us tonight,” Connecticut coach Curt Miller said. “We left a lot of baskets out there. Some of the turnovers hurt us. We were around 40 percent in the paint tonight. Some of that is a credit to their length, but we left a lot of baskets around the paint tonight.

“I appreciated our second unit's movement. I appreciated that we kept grinding.”

The Mercury (14-5) took an 8-0 lead less than two minutes into the game and never trailed. They clinched the three-game season series against the Sun with one game remaining (July 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena).

“I think Phoenix had energy,” Sun Chiney Ogwumike said. “This is our third game in five days. We're soldiering on.”

Rachel Banham had 11 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Sun (108) and Jasmine Thomas and Ogwumike each scored 11.

One positive for the Sun was their bench. They weren't efficient (they shot 34.1 percent), but they were productive. They combined to score 37 and had 22 of the team's 40 rebounds.

Connecticut's bench was comprised of Alex Bentley (10 points), rookie Lexie Brown (three 3-pointers, nine points), Brionna Jones (seven rebounds), Betnijah Laney, and Morgan Tuck (eight points, eight rebounds).

The Sun were once again without starters Alyssa Thomas (shoulder) and Courtney Williams (personal matter). Thomas was injured during a 9591 loss to the Washington Mystics on June 13 and hasn't played since. Connecticut has lost seven of 10 since her injury.

Williams has missed three straight games.

“It'd be fun to try to play Phoenix at full strength, but it is what it is,” Miller said.

Ogwumike said: “The more depth you have on a roster, the better you're going to be, so I think these little trials are helping us.”

Diana Taurasi scored a game-high 25 with five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Phoenix. She also set the WNBA career record for most field goals made (2,632), besting Tina Thompson (2,630).

DeWanna Bonner had 12 points, 13 rebounds and two steals for the Mercury and Griner added 23 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Phoenix was without its top two power forwards — starter Sancho Lyttle (season-ending knee injury) and Camille Little (ankle).

The Mercury led by as much as 70-55 with 59 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Connecticut was able to rally in the fourth quarter after Griner picked up her fifth foul. She went to the bench with 7 minutes, 47 seconds left and Phoenix ahead 70-60.

Brown made two 3-pointers as the Sun went on a 10-3 run before Griner returned with 4:57 left.

Tuck's putback got the Sun within a point (73-72) with 4:16 remaining.

Taurasi made two free throws on the other end for Phoenix.

Brionna Jones' layup cut Connecticut's deficit to 75-74 with 3:45 remaining. Bonner answered with a 3-pointer. The Sun missed their final seven shots, five of which were 3-pointers.

“We just never give up,” Ogwumike said. “I'm really proud of our team for fighting every second of the game."

Connecticut plays its fourth and final road game of the week at 10:30 tonight at the Las Vegas Aces (Mandalay Bay Events Center, WCCT-20). It'll conclude a stretch in which it played 13 of 16 games away from home since June 1.

The Sun have played the most road games (12). They and the Atlanta Dream have also played the fewest at home (six).