Sun lose to Mercury in OT after overcoming 20-point halftime deficit

Connecticut wipes out 20-point halftime deficit before Phoenix holds on

The Connecticut Sun lost to the Phoenix Mercury in overtime on Wednesday night, 100-95, all but ending any chance of them of them moving higher than the seventh seed in next week's WNBA playoffs.

The Mercury's Skyler-Diggins Smith made a 34-foot point three at the buzz- er to tie the game at 89 and force overtime at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

That Connecticut ended up in overtime, or that the game went an extra five minutes, was remarkable.

It started with the Sun (10-11) playing without starting guards Briann January and Jasmine Thomas due to injuries. It forced rookie Kaila Charles and second-year guard Natisha Hiedeman into the starting lineup.

They trailed by as much as 38-16 with 6 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the half.

Connecticut outscored the Mercury in the third quarter, 33-10, to go ahead 64-61.

"I'm proud of their fight," Sun head coach Curt Miller said. "I didn't think we were competitive in the beginning. We weren't ready to compete with that team and we dug ourselves a big hole.

"You saw the competitiveness of that group in the third quarter. They were not happy with that first half."

A three by DeWanna Bonner with 6.5 seconds gave the Sun an 87-86 lead.

Phoenix's Diana Taurasi turned the ball over. Bonner was fouled on the inbounds and made both free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining.

Diggins-Smith raced the inbounds

pass up past halfcourt and threw up shot that dropped in to force overtime.

"They came out with a hell of a fight (after halftime)," Diggins-Smith said about Connecticut. "This season is all about grit."

Taurasi hit a three to put the Mercury ahead to stay, 94-91, with 1:46 remaining in overtime. She had struggled in the second half and made 1 of 8 field goals for five points.

Diggins-Smith scored a game-high 33 with six assists for Phoenix (13-8). Taurasi scored 28 with seven assists and Brianna Turner had 21 rebounds to go with 10 points.

Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Connecticut. Bonner had 32 points and 10 rebounds.

Brionna Jones added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun and reserve Hiedeman had 16 points and five rebounds.

The Sun are two games behind the fifthplace Mercury with one game left for each team. The sixth-place Chicago Sky were 11-9 prior to their game late Wednesday night.

Eight teams qualify for the playoffs. The lowest four seeds play in a single-elimination round.

The winners of the first round play the third and fourth seeds in another single-elimination round.

The top two seeds get a double-bye.