Phoenix Mercury Beat Connecticut Sun to End Losing Streak

What Happened in the Game

Imagine two teams playing basketball. On Sunday, the Phoenix Mercury played against the Connecticut Sun. The Mercury won the game with a score of 72 to 63.

This win was super important because:

• It stopped the Mercury from losing five games in a row (called a "losing streak").
• It also stopped them from losing three games in a row at their home court.

Star Players for the Mercury

Some Mercury players did a great job scoring points (think of points like stars you collect in a game):

• DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points, which was her best this season.
• Kahleah Copper scored 18 points total, and 12 of those came in the second half (the last part of the game).
• Monique Akoa Makani added 11 points.
• Natasha Mack came back after missing 8 games because of a foot problem. She played 20 minutes, scored 4 points, grabbed 5 rebounds (catching the ball after a miss), made 1 steal, and 1 block.

Important Point: A "rebound" is when a player catches the ball after someone misses a shot. A "steal" is taking the ball from the other team. A "block" is stopping the other team’s shot.

How the Game Got Exciting at the End

With about 4 minutes and 42 seconds left:

1. Charlisse Leger-Walker (from the Sun) made a special 3-point play, bringing the Sun within 1 point of the Mercury.
2. Kahleah Copper answered with a driving layup (a close shot while running) and then made 2 free throws (free points from the line).
3. Less than a minute later, the Mercury led 67 to 62.
4. Then Thomas threw an alley-oop (a high pass) to Bonner for a layup, and Bonner made an extra free throw.
5. With 1 minute and 44 seconds left, the Mercury were ahead by 8 points.

Sun Players and Their Stats

The Connecticut Sun (record 7 wins, 19 losses) had their two-game win streak stopped.

• Brittney Griner scored 19 points.
• Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 12 points and 12 rebounds (called a "double-double" — doing two good things double times).
• Leila Lacan only scored 7 points (she made 2 out of 9 shots) and had a career-high 9 turnovers (losing the ball to the other team by mistake). Just two days before, she scored a personal best 26 points!

Why the Mercury Won More Easily

• The Sun made a season-high 21 turnovers (lost the ball a lot), and the Mercury turned those into 22 points.
• In the first half, Phoenix made 50% of their shots and had 12 assists (helping a teammate score) on 17 made shots.
• The Mercury had a 10-point lead at halftime (the break in the middle).

Injuries and Missing Players

• Aaliyah Edwards (Sun) left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not come back.
• Aneesah Morrow (reconditioning = getting back in shape) and Saniya Rivers (ankle/foot issue) did not play for the Sun.

Up Next

Here is where the teams go next:

• Sun: Play on Wednesday at Indiana.
• Mercury: Visit Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Summary

The Phoenix Mercury beat the Connecticut Sun 72–63 on Sunday. Bonner led with 21 points, Copper helped late, and the Mercury ended two bad streaks. The Sun lost despite Griner’s 19 points, and turnovers hurt them. Edwards got hurt, and some Sun players were out. Both teams play new games on Wednesday.

FAQ

Q: What is a turnover in basketball?
A: It’s when a team loses the ball to the other team by mistake, like bad passing or stepping out of bounds.

Q: What does "snap a losing streak" mean?
A: It means a team stops losing many games in a row by finally winning one.

Q: Why was Natasha Mack’s return important?
A: She had been out for 8 games with a foot problem, and she helped the team by playing 20 minutes and doing small useful things like rebounds and blocks.

Q: What is an alley-oop?
A: It’s when one player throws the ball high near the basket and a teammate jumps to catch and score quickly.