By Tiffany Williams –
Boston, MA — The Connecticut Sun (3-18) will take the court at TD Garden on Tuesday, July 15, for their final game before the WNBA All-Star break, hosting the Indiana Fever (11-10) at 8:00 PM ET. The nationally televised matchup will air on ESPN and be available for streaming via the ESPN App, with coverage from Pam Ward, LaChina Robinson, and Angel Gray.
This is the Sun’s second appearance at TD Garden, following their historic first game there on August 20, 2024, against the Los Angeles Sparks. That game set a franchise record with 19,156 tickets sold — the third-highest attended WNBA game of the season and the most attended in Sun history.
Connecticut enters Tuesday’s game tied 1-1 with Indiana in their regular season series. Their most recent meeting on June 17 saw the Sun fall 88-71 in Indianapolis. Tina Charles led Connecticut with 20 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Olivia Nelson-Ododa contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. Despite the loss, the Sun maintain a dominant 59-33 all-time regular season record against the Fever, including 33-11 at home, and have won 13 straight home games against Indiana.
Indiana arrives in Boston after a 102-83 win over the Dallas Wings on Sunday. Kelsey Mitchell led with 20 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 assists. The Fever close out their first half of the season with back-to-back road games in Boston and Brooklyn.
Indiana’s Marina Mabrey is listed as out for Tuesday’s game with a left knee injury.
In their June 17 meeting, Connecticut fell behind early despite Charles’ 10 first-quarter points. Indiana led 47-39 at halftime and extended their lead to 68-52 after the third. A late push from the Sun, including a 9-3 run to open the fourth, wasn’t enough to overcome Indiana’s consistent offense. Jaelyn Brown scored a season-high 13 points and Nelson-Ododa tied her season-high with five offensive rebounds. Caitlin Clark finished with 20 points and six assists, and Natasha Howard added a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards.
Connecticut’s first win of the season came against Indiana on May 30 in a close 85-83 finish. That game marked Head Coach Rachid Meziane’s first victory with the Sun and the franchise’s 500th regular season win. Marina Mabrey led the way with 26 points, while Tina Charles added 18. Rookie Saniya Rivers posted a career-high 12 points and six assists, along with three made three-pointers.
After building a 15-point lead in the fourth, the Sun had to withstand a late Indiana rally. Kelsey Mitchell cut the lead to one in the final seconds, but Rivers made a crucial free throw and a Mitchell jumper missed with two seconds left, sealing the win for Connecticut. The Sun shot 51.7 percent from the field, forced 15 turnovers, and turned those into 30 points.
Indiana was led by Aliyah Boston’s 17 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in the loss. Former Sun standout DeWanna Bonner added 13 points off the bench.
On July 8, the Sun previewed their return to Boston with a ceremonial first pitch appearance at Fenway Park. Tina Charles, Marina Mabrey, and Saniya Rivers each took the mound before the Red Sox faced the Colorado Rockies. Joined by Olivia Nelson-Ododa, the Sun players engaged with fans, took photos, and cheered the Red Sox to a win while enjoying classic Fenway treats.
Ahead of Tuesday’s game, the Sun will host a block party outside TD Garden from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Canal Street. The pregame event is produced by Signature Designs and The SoFenomenal Agency, and will feature entertainment, vendors, and fan engagement activities.