By Tiffany Williams –
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The Connecticut Sun had every opportunity to watch another late lead disappear.
Instead, they slammed the door shut.
Behind dominant performances from Aaliyah Edwards and Brittney Griner, the Sun survived a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Portland Fire to earn a hard-fought 90-87 victory Tuesday afternoon inside Mohegan Sun Arena.
It wasn’t perfect.
It wasn’t easy.
But for a Connecticut team trying to build momentum during a difficult season, it was exactly the kind of win that matters.
The Sun improved to 6-18, while Portland fell to 10-14 after coming up just short despite making one final push in the closing seconds.
Aaliyah Edwards was the unquestioned star of the afternoon.
The second-year forward finished with 21 points and eight rebounds while setting the tone almost immediately.
She attacked the basket.
She controlled the paint.
She delivered when Connecticut needed offense the most.
Brittney Griner wasn’t far behind.
The veteran center poured in 20 points while adding six assists, providing the steady interior presence that helped Connecticut withstand every Portland comeback attempt.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 16 points in another efficient offensive performance, while Leila Lacan scored 14 points and repeatedly came through with timely baskets during Portland’s late surge.
Connecticut wasted no time taking control.
The opening quarter featured fast-paced offense from both clubs before Bridget Carleton connected from long range to give Portland a 15-12 advantage.
The lead didn’t last.
The Sun answered with seven consecutive points to seize momentum.
Aaliyah Edwards immediately became the focal point of the offense.
After Sarah Ashley Barker scored at the free-throw line, Edwards attacked the basket for two points before converting an and-one opportunity following a foul by Emily Engstler.
Every possession seemed to run through her.
Every trip down the floor created another opportunity.
By the end of the opening quarter, Aaliyah Edwards had already scored 13 points.
No other player on the floor had reached double figures.
Connecticut closed the first quarter leading 32-23 after delivering one of its strongest offensive periods of the season.
The second quarter belonged to Connecticut’s depth.
Nell Angloma opened the scoring for the Sun after receiving an assist from fellow rookie Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa then took over.
Her six quick points helped stretch Connecticut’s advantage to 40-27 as Portland struggled to slow the Sun’s interior attack.
Megan Gustafson and Carla Leite attempted to shift momentum back toward the Fire by trimming the deficit to eight points.
Connecticut refused to blink.
Brittney Griner and Leila Lacan answered with another offensive surge that pushed the lead to 46-32.
Frieda Buhner eventually knocked down a shot from beyond the arc after being held scoreless during the opening quarter.
Emily Engstler responded with a basket for Portland, but Leila Lacan answered with a floater that restored Connecticut’s double-digit advantage.
Sarah Ashley Barker converted an and-one opportunity before halftime to help Portland cut the deficit to 50-40 entering the break.
The Fire remained within striking distance.
But Connecticut still controlled the game.
Portland opened the third quarter aggressively.
Bridget Carleton buried another three-pointer from well beyond the arc to ignite the comeback attempt.
Inside, Brittney Griner and Megan Gustafson traded baskets as both veteran post players battled for position in the paint.
Once again, Aaliyah Edwards stepped forward.
She and Brittney Griner combined for six points to extend Connecticut’s lead to 63-50.
Following several empty possessions by both teams, Karlie Samuelson knocked down a three-pointer to end the scoring drought.
As the quarter progressed, fouls began slowing the pace.
Both teams exchanged trips to the free-throw line, making every possession increasingly valuable.
Charlisse Leger-Walker delivered Connecticut’s final basket of the quarter with a 10-foot jumper.
The Sun entered the fourth quarter holding a 72-63 lead.
The game, however, was far from over.
Portland came charging.
Emily Engstler scored four early points to immediately cut Connecticut’s lead to six.
Megan Gustafson continued attacking inside before helping reduce the deficit to a single point.
Suddenly, what had been a comfortable Connecticut advantage became another tense finish.
Every possession carried enormous importance.
Every defensive stop mattered.
Brittney Griner answered with another basket to give Connecticut a 75-71 advantage.
Megan Gustafson responded again.
Neither team backed down.
Tina Miller and Brittney Griner combined for seven crucial points in an effort to finally create separation.
Still, Portland refused to disappear.
Megan Gustafson knocked down a three-pointer that once again kept the Fire within striking distance.
Just when momentum threatened to swing completely toward Portland, Aaliyah Edwards delivered perhaps the biggest basket of the afternoon.
After receiving a pass from Leila Lacan, Edwards converted inside to give Connecticut valuable breathing room.
Moments later, Leila Lacan scored another basket, extending the Sun’s advantage to 90-83 with just over one minute remaining.
Even then, Portland wasn’t finished.
Sarah Ashley Barker attacked the basket.
Bridget Carleton followed with another score.
The Fire suddenly found themselves trailing by only three points at 90-87.
The comeback was alive.
The pressure shifted squarely onto Connecticut.
This time, however, the Sun refused to surrender.
Portland’s final offensive push came up short as Connecticut held on for one of its most determined victories of the season.
Beyond the final score, several individual milestones highlighted the afternoon.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa surpassed 900 career points during her 16-point performance, reaching another significant benchmark in her professional career.
Aaliyah Edwards also produced a remarkable opening stretch, scoring 11 points in just six minutes.
According to the team, it marked the first time a Connecticut player reached double figures within six minutes since Alexis Joens accomplished the feat on Aug. 12, 2018.
The box score reflected Connecticut’s balanced offensive attack.
Aaliyah Edwards finished with a game-high 21 points while also leading the Sun with eight rebounds.
Charlisse Leger-Walker recorded a team-high seven assists.
For Portland, Carla Leite led the team with 18 points.
Emily Engstler finished with six assists, while both Emily Engstler and Megan Gustafson grabbed five rebounds.
The victory gives Connecticut another much-needed boost as it continues searching for consistency during the second half of the season.
The offense looked sharper.
The ball movement improved.
Multiple players reached double figures.
Most importantly, the Sun answered every serious challenge Portland presented during the closing minutes.
There is still work ahead.
A 6-18 record leaves little room for prolonged mistakes.
But Tuesday offered something Connecticut has desperately needed.
Proof that it can finish.
The Sun now head back on the road for another difficult test when they visit the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night.
If Connecticut hopes to carry momentum into that matchup, performances like those delivered by Aaliyah Edwards, Brittney Griner, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Leila Lacan will need to become the rule rather than the exception.