By DJ Harding
The Connecticut Sun traveled to Minnesota for a winner take all game three in which the Sun defeated the Lynx 90-75 to advance to the Semifinals.
This will be the fifth straight year the Sun will advance to the Semifinals and they’ll take on the New York Liberty.
The game three win was led by the duo of DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas.
Thomas posted 28 points, 12 assists, and 6 rebounds in the win. Thomas posted her 18th double-double which moves into a tie with Lisa Leslie for fourth all time in playoff double-doubles. The 28 points from Thomas were also a career high.
Bonner scored 25 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists in what was also a history-making night for her.
Bonner surpassed 1,000 career playoff points, joining Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings, and Candice Parker as the only players to do so.
Bonner, Parker, and Catchings are the only ones among the five to eclipse 500 career playoff rebounds as well as the thousand playoff point mark.Bonner also moved up on the all time playoff list for blocks, field goals, and three point field goals.
Coach White Postgame about Bonner and Thomas “they’re two players who are not afraid of big moments.”
Tyasha Harris also came up big for the Sun tallying 18 points off the bench while also having one rebound and one assist.
For Minnesota Naphessa Collier was their leading scorer and the highest scorer for both teams with 31 points.
Collier said postgame “We knew it was going to be hard because we were both fighting to keep our season alive”
The Lynx coach Cheryl Reece said postgame “We made them work for the win.”
The Connecticut Sun will now travel to New York to take on the Liberty in a best of five games series.
Game one will be on Sunday, September 24 with tip-off being scheduled for 1:00 PM EST