Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington let Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark know that she didn't approve of her selling a foul call during Monday night's matchup.

After Clark was awarded a foul call on an inbound pass in the second quarter, Carrington let the officials and the crowd know that she thought there might have been some acting going on during the play.

Carrington is in her fifth WNBA season, so she's likely gotten used to seeing flopping just about every game, but she wanted to let the rookie know she spotted it on that particular play.

Whether Clark actually sold the call is up for interpretation, but at least the officials seemed to think it warranted a foul.

While Clark was given the foul, Carrington and the Sun got the last laugh as they won the game 89-72 behind her 22 points. The win brought Connecticut to 10-1 on the season as it has come out of the gate scorching hot.

Things have started much different for the Fever as they sit at 3-10. Clark is still finding her footing in the WNBA but has had a solid rookie year thus far, averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.

The Connecticut Sun's Stephanie White was named the WNBA Coach of the Year on Sunday after guiding the team to a 27-13 record and a third-place finish.

Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell was the runner-up, with the New York Liberty's Sandy Bronello earning six votes for third place.

Setting the bar high for Year One in Connecticut 📊

Congratulations to the WNBA Coach of the Year, Stephanie White!#CTSun | #ForgedByFire 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EgvMtiqyIw

— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 17, 2023

In addition to seeing head coach Curt Miller leave to accept the Los Angeles Sparks job, the Sun saw their best player, Jonquel Jones, request a trade to the Liberty in the offseason. They also traded Jamsine Thomas, who had spent the previous six seasons in Connecticut, to the Sparks, and Courtney Williams signed with the Chicago Sky.

Despite all of the turnover, White carried on the regular-season success that became the norm under Miller.

The Sun were third in net rating (4.4), per WNBA.com, which was a drop from their first-place finish (9.5) in 2022. That was to be expected, though, when they lost a four-time All-Star and one-time league MVP.

In general, Connecticut continued to be stifling on defense and made some slight offensive tweaks that could prove important in the postseason. The team went from 11th to sixth in average three-point makes (7.2) and got 26 percent of its points from beyond the arc, up from 22.3 percent a season ago.

The 2022 WNBA Finals laid bare how the Sun needed to change their offense a bit regardless of whether Miller stayed or went. They attempted 44 fewer threes than Las Vegas and had 10 fewer made threes.

White has made floor-spacing a slightly bigger priority, and evidence of the improvement was on display in Connecticut's Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the first round. It went 16-of-30 from the perimeter en route to a dominant 90-60 win.

The Sun remain a clear underdog in pursuit of the franchise's pursuit of a first-ever WNBA title. Many expect the top-seeded Aces and No. 2 New York Liberty to be on a collision course for the Finals.

Regardless of how the postseason shakes out, White undoubtedly did enough in the regular season to earn her Coach of the Year nod.

Alyssa Thomas' incredible season continued with a historical performance Wednesday.

The Connecticut Sun star stuffed the stat sheet with 27 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds and six steals while shooting a blistering 11-of-14 from the field in a 90-76 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

In the process, she became the first player in WNBA history to post a stat line of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals in a game:

The play on the court by @athomas_25 has been IMMACULATE

✅ 6th triple-double of the year
✅ 304 AST (currently most in a single szn)
✅ 11-13 from the field pic.twitter.com/MfTFa7XMDj

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 6, 2023

Making history is nothing new for Thomas, as she became the first player in WNBA history to post back-to-back triple-doubles earlier this season.

Doing everything on the floor at a high level is simply what the forward does, as she entered Wednesday's game averaging 15.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game on the season.

The four-time All-Star helped the Sun improve to 26-12 with her latest showing, which is the third-best record in the league behind only the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. That the Sun are chasing those two teams is fitting considering Thomas is battling A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart in the MVP race.

Wednesday's outing certainly helped her cause.

Welcome to the history books, Alyssa Thomas.

The Connecticut Sun forward became the first player in WNBA history to notch back-to-back triple-doubles:

Alyssa Thomas is the ONLY player in WNBA history with a triple-double in back-to-back games 💰 pic.twitter.com/8NCh2zj2gR

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 2, 2023

AT IS UNREAL 👑@athomas_25 went off in the @connecticutsun dub over the Minnesota Lynx:

➡ 21 PTS, 20 REB, 12 AST
➡ 1st player in WNBA History to ever record 20-20-10 stat line
➡ 9th career triple-double, 5th this season
➡ Career-high in rebounds#MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/HimGwJ2782

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 2, 2023

Thomas impressed during Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Lynx with 17 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and two steals but was even better in Tuesday's win over the same team with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocks.

Minnesota's frontcourt had no answers for her on the blocks for the second straight game, and she controlled the boards all while spearheading the offense. It wasn't a one-person show, though, as Tyasha Harris provided a spark with 17 points off the bench, Tiffany Hayes added 16 points and DeWanna Bonner finished with 15 points.

It was more of the same for Thomas, who now has a double-double in four of the last five games.

She is threatening to average a double-double on the season at 14.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game this season. If she continues on her current pace, those numbers could approach a triple-double average by season's end.

Connecticut Sun veteran forward Alyssa Thomas made history in Sunday's 96-72 victory over the Chicago Sky, setting a WNBA record with her fourth career regular-season triple-double.

Alyssa Thomas makes HISTORY 🤩 @HighlightHER

She now has the MOST triple-doubles in the WNBA 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CJsMo642sC

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 25, 2023

Thomas finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. It was her second triple-double in the last five days, following Tuesday's 13-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist outing in a win over the Seattle Storm. According to ESPN's M.A. Voepel, "That five-day span is the shortest between triple-doubles by one player in league history."

Las Vegas Aces center Candace Parker and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu are now tied for second with three regular-season triple-doubles. Thomas also has two triple-doubles in the playoffs.

The Sun are 12-3 and rank second in the WNBA behind the Las Vegas Aces (12-1). Connecticut is responsible for Las Vegas' lone loss this year.

After setting the record, Thomas said she's focused on helping the Sun win a WNBA championship, something she has yet to accomplish in her 10-year career in Connecticut.

"I want to win," Thomas said. "We're still trying to bring a championship here. We just continue to grind it out each and every day. My name might be on [the record] but a lot of credit goes to my teammates. So far this year, I feel like it's been the easiest for me with the way they're knocking down shots."

Connecticut Sun center Brionna Jones will miss the remainder of the 2023 WNBA season due to a torn Achilles tendon.

The Sun announced that Jones underwent successful surgery Friday after suffering the injury during Tuesday's 85-79 win over the Seattle Storm.

Jones released a statement regarding the season-ending injury and her road to recovery, saying:

"First, I want to thank everyone who has reached out over the last few days. All of the love I've received has truly been a blessing as I've gone through this tough time. While this is not how I envisioned this season ending for me, I am determined and ready to head into the next stage of recovery and rehab.

"I know I have an amazing support system behind me, and I will return on the other side of this stronger than ever. I'm definitely going to miss competing every night with this incredible group of women the most, but I am excited to see this team continue to flourish and accomplish great things this season."

The Sun, who reached the WNBA Finals last season, are the top team in the Eastern Conference this season with an 11-3 record.

The 27-year-old Jones starred at the University of Maryland before Connecticut made her the eighth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft.

She has grown into one of the WNBA's top players in recent years, earning All-Star honors in 2021 and 2022, and also winning the 2021 WNBA Most Improved Player award and the 2022 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year award.

Jones averaged a career-high 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 2021 and followed it it up with averages of 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season.

Prior to getting injured, Jones was on pace for her best season yet, averaging 15.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 13 games, while also shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

Jones was leading the WNBA in offensive rebounds per game with 3.2 and also ranked fifth in steals, ninth in field goal percentage, 10th in rebounding and 20th in scoring.

In their first game since Jones' season-ending injury, the Sun rallied together and blew out the Minnesota Lynx by an 89-68 score Thursday.

Connecticut will look to extend its winning streak to four in a row when it hosts the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

The Connecticut Sun announced Monday they re-signed reigning Sixth Player of the Year Brionna Jones.

BREEZY IS BACK. pic.twitter.com/0g4mlWX8lh

— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) February 13, 2023

"We are so excited to have Breezy back," head coach Stephanie White said. "She's a proven winner that has worked tirelessly to become one of the best players in our league. She impacts our team on the floor and in the locker room. She is a tremendous ambassador for our community. I can't wait to work with her this summer."

The Sun applied the core designation to Brionna Jones after trading franchise cornerstone Jonquel Jones to the New York Liberty.

The core designation functions in a similar respect to the franchise tag in the NFL. It guarantees a player a one-year supermax contract while leaving open the opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal. In Jones' case, she and the Sun settled on a one-year pact for an undisclosed total.

Connecticut had its hand forced when it came to trading Jonquel Jones. The 2021 MVP was ready to move on and identified New York as her desired landing spot.

The Sun have been one of the WNBA's most consistent teams in recent years. Under head coach Curt Miller, they made six straight playoff appearances and reached the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022.

With Miller leaving for the Los Angeles Sparks and Jonquel Jones forcing her way out, Connecticut's championship window appeared to be closed for the time being. The front office could've then pivoted toward a rebuild ahead of a 2024 draft that may include Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.

Coring Brionna Jones indicated the Sun are attempting to remain a playoff contender.

The 27-year-old's stock has steadily risen over her WNBA career. She went from a seldom-used rookie in 2017 to a critical piece of last season's runner-up squad. Jones averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.4 blocks and shot 57.1 percent from the field, and her 6.0 win shares were the third-most in the WNBA, per Basketball Reference.

A one-year contract could prove mutually beneficial. The Sun will have an opportunity to see Jones in a lead role, and the 6'3" forward can play her way into another big paycheck if she continues delivering on the court.

LAS VEGAS—Becky Hammon's mind was reeling. The Las Vegas Aces coach sat at the podium frustrated following WNBA Finals Game 1 against the Connecticut Sun. Her team had struggled offensively. They were stagnant, they shot poorly and they had gotten outworked on the glass.

Adjustments needed to be made, and quickly.

"Tonight we struggled a little bit, and we'll be better in Game 2," she said. "I already know what we're going to do."

Contrary to Hammon’s tone, the Aces didn’t lose. They defeated the Sun 67-64, but she knew that their opponent had imposed its style upon the game. Connecticut outrebounded Las Vegas and earned more second-chance points, highlighting its advantage in the hustle statistics.

Though they came away with the victory, why were the Aces getting outhustled for rebounds in the Finals on their home floor? Was it because of the Sun's size and their three All-Star post players? According to Hammon, that had nothing to do with it.

"When the shot goes up, you go find a body and you put yours on it, and then go grab the ball," she said. "You have to have a mindset that I'm going to go get the ball. I'm going to block you out. ... I'm going to go get the ball, that's it. You don't have to be the biggest and baddest. Be smart. Play with your feet. Be intentional about what you're doing and then at the end of the day, it's all of us."

In the other locker room, the Sun came out of Game 1 disappointed but encouraged. Connecticut held Las Vegas, a team that averaged a league-leading 90.4 points per game during the regular season, under 70 points.

While the Sun mustered just 11 fourth-quarter points, 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones doesn't believe her team has reason to be concerned. Imposing their low-scoring, gritty style of play is exactly how the Sun advanced past the Chicago Sky in the semifinals.

"I don't think it ever felt tight," Jones said following the loss. "We were shooting shots, and they weren't going in. But ultimately, we were playing great defense as well, and that's one of the things I talked about, finding the wins within the game. Yes, we weren't hitting the shots we know we can hit, but we were also playing good D. Ultimately, we'll be all right."

Will the Sun prove Jones right? Can the Aces address their stagnant, inefficient offense? In Game 2 on Tuesday, both teams will look to counter the punches of their opponent.

For Las Vegas, everything starts with getting its high-flying offense back on track. The Aces opened Game 1 by hitting five straight shots, but it was it was a slog from there. They put up just nine points in the second quarter on the way to four-point halftime deficit and ended the afternoon at 39.7 percent from the field, including just 5-of-24 on three-pointers.

Kelsey Plum, who went 1-of-9 from the field with six points and two assists, was far from the only player who struggled against Connecticut's defense, but her stat line was representative of the challenge Las Vegas faced. Like Hammon, Plum was frustrated and hardly satisfied with the win, feeling like her team barely walked away with the victory.

"They pack the paint, they make it stagnant," Plum said. "You have to give them credit. Defensively, they've always been one of the best teams in the league. They switch a lot. They trap a lot. They kind of get you out of your rhythm."

Although the Sun finished the game with 18 assists to the Aces' eight, the Sun weren't in rhythm either, especially in the second half. Following an impassioned halftime speech from Hammon—"I was lit," she said—the Aces turned the tide. They switched to a zone to counter Connecticut's larger lineups that featured 6'4" wing DeWanna Bonner alongside some combination of Jonquel Jones, Brionna Jones and Alyssa Thomas.

"I thought, at times, we got their zone to shift the way we wanted it to," Sun head coach Curt Miller said. "But didn't always take advantage or at least certainly didn't make some shots.”

Miller noted that guard Natisha Hiedeman made a corner three midway through the fourth quarter, and because of the zone, Aces guard Jackie Young was late to contest the shot. Connecticut just didn't get enough of those zone-exploiting shots to fall.

The Sun also missed offensive opportunities in transition, an area where they’ve excelled all season.

"We just couldn't take three on three, four on three, three on two," Miller said. "We didn't find baskets when we did have those opportunities to run."

Connecticut also committed three shot-clock violations, which according to Sun assistant coach Chris Koclanes was a function of how loud the sellout crowd of 10,135 was at Michelob Ultra Arena on Sunday afternoon.

"We'll have to have better clock awareness," he told B/R. "It's loud in here."

The Sun's guards, namely veterans Bonner and Courtney Williams, will also have to demonstrate improvement in Game 2. Both were cold on Sunday, combining to score eight points on 3-of-18 shooting. Connecticut is going to need more from both of them to have a chance at claiming the title.

Las Vegas and Connecticut came away from Game 1 with differing mindsets about the result, but which one will lead to victory in Game 2? Will it be the Aces' angst and anger, or the Sun's confidence and calm?

On Tuesday night, we'll find out.

Prediction: The Sun even the series at 1-1 before traveling back to Uncasville for Game 3. Williams moves a bit more without the ball and finds open spaces, while the Aces double-team the Sun’s most efficient players in Jonquel Jones and Brionna Jones. Kelsey Plum finds her shot in Game 2, but it won't be enough.

The Las Vegas Aces survived a tough challenge from the Connecticut Sun in Game 1 of the 2022 WNBA Finals, earning a 67-64 win Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

A'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray led the way for the Aces. Wilson dropped a double-double, scoring 24 points and collecting 11 rebounds. Gray chipped in with 11 points and provided a lifeline for a Las Vegas offense that shot 39.7 percent from the floor.

The coldest 12's out 🥶@cgray209 🤝 @JaMorant

📺 @ABC pic.twitter.com/qX9aIgkeUA

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 11, 2022

DeWanna Bonner had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds but watched her three-point attempt hit the front rim.

In the first two rounds, the Aces simply overwhelmed the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm. Per WNBA.com, they led all teams in postseason offensive rating (114.7) and true shooting percentage (61.5) entering Sunday.

But stout defense has been a hallmark of the Sun under head coach Curt Miller. Connecticut succeeded in stifling Las Vegas and slowing down the pace of Game 1.

Still, it wasn't enough to stop the individual brilliance of Gray and the post presence of Wilson.

For Gray, Game 1 continued one of the hottest-shooting postseasons ever in the WNBA.

https://twitter.com/MG_Schindler/status/1569060880700305409

Imagine the feeling of trying to defend Chelsea Gray when they go 1-4 low ISO…

— Rachel Galligan (@RachGall) September 11, 2022

Per @ESPNStatsInfo: Chelsea Gray is 7-9 on contested FG, 0-2 on uncontested FG, because of course she is

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) September 11, 2022

i dare you to tell me how to guard chelsea gray

— Matt Ellentuck (@mellentuck) September 11, 2022

It's weird they keep playing this Chelsea Gray movie and the ending never changes.

— Kevin Pelton (@kpeltonWBB) September 11, 2022

Wilson, meanwhile, accepted her MVP trophy before the game and showed why she collected the league's highest individual honor.

A'JA WILSON COMES UP BIG WITH A BLOCK AND A BUCKET 😤 pic.twitter.com/kcXjGm3ry6

— ESPN (@espn) September 11, 2022

A'ja Wilson is an MVP in every sense, and Kelsey Plum plays with so much grit and tenacity.

Such beautiful basketball to watch.

— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) September 11, 2022

https://twitter.com/sabreenajm/status/1569046353682255872

This is A'ja Wilson's 11th career playoff game with at least 20 points, the 6th most by a player in their first 5 seasons.@LVAces | #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/KKDqHbyHTG

— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) September 11, 2022

A’ja Wilson will not be denied!!! She wants this finals ring so badly!! Dominating the game on all ends on the floor block city!

— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) September 11, 2022

The Sun have time to right the ship in the best-of-five series. The trouble for Miller and his staff is that so much went right Sunday, but Connecticut is nevertheless staring at an 0-1 deficit.

Kelsey Plum shot 1-of-9 from the field and 1-of-7 from long range. Gray had three turnovers. Las Vegas as a team recorded just eight assists. The Sun could be in serious trouble if the No. 1 seed starts resembling the best and most lethal team in the WNBA again.

The Aces and Sun will return to the court Tuesday for Game 2.

Connecticut Sun forward Brionna Jones was named the WNBA's 2022 Sixth Player of the Year on Thursday.

The two-time All-Star was the runaway favorite for the award after averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in the regular season. She claimed 53 of the 56 first-place votes.

Cooked ‘em on the court all season long.

Brionna Jones is your @Kia Sixth Player of the Year!@_bjones18 | #CTSun pic.twitter.com/hs8U4OV5dS

— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 1, 2022

The fact Jones comes off the bench for the Sun speaks to their depth in the frontcourt.

The 2017 first-round pick was a peripheral figure in her first three years before Jonquel Jones' absence in 2020 paved the way for her to become a regular starter. She averaged 11.2 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent that season.

Alyssa Thomas' Achilles injury in 2021 allowed Jones to continue featuring in the starting rotation, and she showed her breakout was no aberration. She was third on the team in scoring (14.7 points) and second in rebounding (7.3 boards) en route to winning the WNBA's Most Improved Player.

Although Jones was relegated to the second unit with Connecticut at full strength again for 2022, it did little to lower her overall impact. The Sun had an 11.3 net rating with Jones on the floor and a 7.3 net rating when she was on the bench, per WNBA.com. Her 3.7 points per game in the fourth quarter trailed only DeWanna Bonner.

An unrestricted free agent, Jones has played her way into a big contract, the kind that could complicate a possible return to Connecticut.

The Sun have $847,500 tied up in just the quartet of Bonner, Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas and Jasmine Thomas, which limits their financial flexibility. Given how much she has grown her game, Jones might also relish the chance to assume the kind of starring role that may be more achievable elsewhere.