August 7, 2026
By Visarion Cika
The Connecticut Sun returned to Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night looking to snap a five-game losing streak after wrapping up a challenging road trip. Connecticut welcomed the Phoenix Mercury, who entered the contest with a 12-20 record, as the Sun aimed to get back on track in front of their home crowd following a difficult stretch away from home. Despite their recent struggles, the Sun looked to reset on their home floor and put together a complete performance, while the Mercury sought to build momentum and finish their road trip on a positive note.
The matchup opened with a sluggish tempo as both squads labored to establish an offensive flow during the initial minutes. Phoenix eventually found their stride halfway through the frame, leveraging stout execution on both sides of the ball to pull ahead. While Connecticut managed to produce a handful of critical buckets to keep the score manageable, the Mercury maintained their grip on the game’s pace while stifling the Sun into uncomfortable possessions. Dominating the early exchanges, Phoenix secured a 27-18 advantage heading into the second quarter.
The Mercury maintained their firm command over the tempo throughout the second quarter, ballooning their advantage to a 16-point margin behind the tandem of Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum. Phoenix exploited Connecticut’s ball-handling miscues, repeatedly turning turnovers into high-percentage transition looks that disrupted the Sun’s pursuit of offensive rhythm. Refusing to yield, Connecticut found a necessary offensive jolt in Kennedy Burke, who contributed eight points before the break, while Charlisse Leger-Walker orchestrated the floor with three assists. A flurry of late buckets allowed the Sun to narrow the gap, yet the Mercury retreated to the locker room holding a 40-32 cushion. While the Sun were hindered by six opening-half giveaways, the Mercury utilized stout defensive pressure and efficient two-way execution to preserve their eight-point lead heading into the half.
The Sun stormed out of halftime with renewed energy, erasing Phoenix’s eight-point halftime advantage behind a relentless second-half effort. Connecticut chipped away thanks to strong performances from Aaliyah Edwards and Brittney Griner, while Charlisse Leger-Walker kept the offense flowing with timely playmaking. After trailing by as many as 13 points in the opening half, the Sun completed the comeback and grabbed their first lead of the game midway through the third quarter. The two teams traded baskets throughout a tightly contested period before Phoenix answered with key buckets from Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner to reclaim the lead late in the quarter. Connecticut refused to back down, however, as Aaliyah Edwards knocked down the game-tying basket with just over a minute remaining, sending the teams into the fourth quarter deadlocked at 49-49.
The Sun channeled their third-quarter surge into a fiercely contested final frame, engaging in a seesaw battle with the Mercury until the closing seconds. Connecticut found critical production from Diamond Miller and Kennedy Burke, while Aaliyah Edwards continued her strong interior presence to counter every Phoenix offensive. Following a late Mercury push, the Sun stabilized with opportunistic defensive stands and clutch execution. Leïla Lacan proved decisive at the stripe, coolly converting two free throws with just 12 seconds on the clock to establish a three-point cushion. In the game’s final sequence, Brittney Griner preserved the result by swatting Kelsey Plum’s desperate triple attempt as time expired. Overcoming their earlier deficit, Connecticut secured a hard-fought 75–72 victory to halt their losing skid.
The Sun will now turn their attention to the Atlanta Dream, who visit Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday, August 13, as Connecticut looks to carry its momentum into another home matchup.