Tristan Coomey
The game opened with the Sun taking an early 9-7 lead after a tough finish inside from Saniya Rivers, setting the tone for a competitive first quarter against the top-seeded Lynx. Minnesota answered behind Kayla McBride, who paced the Lynx with 8 first-quarter points while going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.
Connecticut stayed right there behind Leïla Lacan, who led the Sun with 6 points on 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. The Sun also got strong early minutes from their bench, outscoring Minnesota’s reserves 7-4, while both teams finished the quarter tied on the glass at 9 rebounds apiece. Minnesota held a slim 21-20 lead after one.
The second quarter turned into a shootout, with the Lynx ripping off a 12-0 run to briefly regain control. Minnesota shot 54.5% from the field in the frame, led by Natasha Howard’s 7 points and Courtney Williams’ 4 points and 3 assists.
Connecticut answered with a strong offensive quarter of its own, outscoring Minnesota 25-20 to take a 45-41 lead into halftime. Leïla Lacan continued to provide for her squad with 6 points in the quarter, while the Sun’s bench gave them a major lift, outscoring the Lynx reserves 11-4 to help Connecticut take a four-point lead into halftime.
The Sun kept their foot on the gas in the third quarter, edging Minnesota 20-19 to take a 65-60 lead into the fourth. Connecticut did most of its damage inside, outscoring the Lynx 14-10 in the paint while also grabbing a 9-8 edge on the glass.
Minnesota stayed close behind Kayla McBride’s 6 points and Natasha Howard’s all-around quarter with 3 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. But despite the Lynx briefly retaking the lead, the Sun answered back and carried a five-point advantage into the final quarter.
The Lynx opened the fourth quarter with a push, outscoring the Sun 10-5 to tie the game at 70 by the mandatory timeout. From there, Minnesota’s bench completely flipped the game, turning a five-point deficit entering the quarter into an 86-80 win at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Dorka Juhász delivered the biggest swing of the night, scoring 9 points in the fourth quarter on a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Her final three with seven seconds remaining pushed Minnesota’s lead to six and effectively put the game away. Antonia Delaere also gave the Lynx a major lift, adding 8 points in the quarter on 3-of-4 shooting.
Connecticut had control for most of the night, leading 45-41 at halftime and 65-60 after three quarters. Leïla Lacan led the Sun with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 points on efficient shooting. Nell Angloma also provided a spark off the bench with 12 points and 8 rebounds.
The Sun return to action on Friday, July 10, when they host the Golden State Valkyries at Mohegan Sun Arena.