HEARTBREAK Mystics deny Sun their first WNBA title in a game for the ages
—The end of the Washington Connecticut Sun's wild ride to Game 5 of the WNBA Finals didn't come quickly.
The Sun's end came late. And painfully.
Connecticut had built a nine-point lead with over six minutes remaining in the third quarter when Jonquel Jones, a 2019 All-WNBA second team selection, picked up her fourth foul after helping the Sun build that lead.
MVP Emma Meesseman scored 11 of her team-high 22 in the third quarter to help Washington rally. The Mystics then pulled away with an 8-0 run with over five minutes remaining in the game before a sellout of 4,200 at Entertainment and Sports Arena. Mystics 89, Sun 78. Another bitter end to a Connecticut season.
The Sun have lost in all three
of their WNBA Finals. Their previous losses were in 2004 and 2005.
It's Washington's first WNBA title. It's the first WNBA title in four tries for Mystics head coach Mike Thibault. He coached the Sun for 10 seasons, including trips to the 2004 and 2005 Finals, before being fired months after a brutal Game 3 home loss to the Indiana Fever in the Eastern Conference finals.
Elena Delle Donne, the 2019 WNBA MVP, had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Mystics and Kristi Toliver had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists. Natasha Cloud added 18 points and five rebounds.
"A lot of people questioned why I went to a team that hadn't been to the playoffs in a while," Delle Donne, in her third season with the Mystics after beginning her career with the Chicago Sky, told ESPN following the game. "I saw the coach and I knew he was building something special."
Alyssa Thomas had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Sun while Jones had a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds. Courtney Williams (16 points) was Connecticut's only other double-digit scorer.
Delle Donne's turnaround fadeaway bank shot against Thomas put Washington ahead to stay, 74-72 with 5 minutes, 10 seconds left. Toliver followed moments later by driving the lane for a layup and Sun head coach Curt Miller called timeout.
Delle Donne's three-foot jump shot and Meesseman's five-foot jumper gave the Mystics their largest lead, 80-72 with 2:54 to play.
Connecticut had built the biggest lead of the game, 53-44, with 6:39 remaining in the third quarter when the fouls began. Jones picked up her fourth as Delle Donne made a three-point play at 6:22, with Jones going to the bench.
Brionna Jones subbed in for Jonquel Jones and was immediately abused by Meesseman. She scored five straight points and, in the process, got Brionna Jones to pick up three fouls as Washington closed to within 56-52 with 4:31 left in the quarter. Meesseman scored 11 in that quarter. Washington managed to tie the game at 58 and 62, but Thomas closed the quarter with a layup to give Connecticut a 64-62 lead.
Neither team could gain much traction in the first half as they exchanged the lead six times and were tied another 11.
The Sun led by as much as 11-6 early in the game. Washington took its biggest lead to start the second quarter (26-20).
Williams' 12-foot pull-up jumper put Connecticut ahead 40-37 with 1:26 left in the half.
Meesseman's 3-pointer tied it 12 seconds later. Jones answered with her own 3-pointer 10 seconds later to give the Sun a 43-40 lead with 1:04 remaining in the second quarter.