Here’s How the Connecticut Sun Thwarted Liberty’s 8-Game Win

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — They finally did it. After losing seven straight regular-season games to the Liberty, the Sun won 72-64 on Saturday night before a disappointed crowd at Barclay’s Center.

The win was a multi-faceted performance that saw five Connecticut players reach double figures on the second night of back-to-back games: Marina Mabrey (15 points), DiJonai Carrington (13 points), Olivia Nelson-Ododa (12 points, 2 blocks), Brionna Jones (11 points) and DeWanna Bonner (10 points).

This late in the season, no single game is likely to reveal anything special about either team, and Saturday’s results won’t change the fact that New York has been the league’s best team all year.

But there are a few things we can pick-up points for Connecticut’s big win:

The Sun hopes for a playoff series against the Liberty

Before the game, Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said it was important for her team to win so they could successfully close out the season series and keep the Sun’s confidence in the playoffs low.

“This is a potential finals game,” Brondello said. “We’ve won three of those games — it’s more like ‘don’t give them hope.'”

But with the victory, the Sun ensured that would no longer be the case.

“We had a lot to figure out in the locker room,” DeWanna Bonner said after the game. “We had a huge one and things changed. So for us to come together like that and have a win like that is huge.”

Notably, the win also ensured they would maintain a slim lead over the Minnesota Lynx for the #2 seed. The Sun improved to 21-8 on the year; the Lynx trail by just half a game at 22-8.

Connecticut defense passes league’s toughest test

The Sun — owners of the league’s second-best defense this season — held the Liberty to 18 points below their season average. Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart was limited to just 15 points, while Sabrina Ionescu shot just 3-13 from the field.

“I think this was the most consistent game we’ve played, especially on defense,” Stephanie White said. “We did a good job of getting them on the shots we wanted them to take. When we had breakdowns, we fixed them quickly. We played with multiple levels of effort, so when we had to scramble, we kept trying to hustle plays, contest shots and finish plays. We made big plays on offense when we needed to and it was important for us to get the production we got off the bench.”

Olivia Nelson-Ododa made a big impact off the bench

The 6-foot-1 forward has played a limited role for the Connecticut Sun so far this season, averaging just 3.2 points in 12.1 minutes a night before Saturday’s game against the Liberty.

But Nelson-Ododa was key to keeping the Sun in control early in the game – she scored 8 points in the first half and finished the game with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 15 minutes, battling with Jonquel Jones when Brionna Jones sat down.

After the match, she thanked her teammates and the coaching staff for their cooperation during the Olympic holiday.

“Our starting five does so much, especially playing so many minutes,” Nelson-Ododa said. “So I think the mentality of, not only myself, but the bench, is to just try to contribute in whatever way we can. And also credit to my teammates for putting me in good positions to just kind of get going tonight.”

Stephanie White praised her performance, both defensively and offensively.

“I think her activity level is better on both ends of the court,” White said. “Liv’s a player that can be a really good slasher, cutter — especially after she sets on- or off-ball screens. I think she’s made herself available. She’s done a good job of recognizing matchups and when she’s cross-matched, making herself available in the post.”

Marina Mabrey changes everything for Connecticut

Marina Mabrey scored a team-high 15 points in 26 minutes off the bench, just a day after exploding for a team-high 24 points in a win over the Sky. But perhaps most impressive was her diligence. Mabrey drew an offensive foul on Jonquel Jones midway through the fourth quarter. She seemingly dove to the floor and fought for loose balls whenever she was near her, reminding the world that there’s a reason Alyssa Thomas called her a dawg.

“She’s just a high-IQ basketball player,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said before the game. “She just gets it — she moves well without the basketball. She understands where the ball needs to go, who to get it to. She’s got really good instincts in that area.”

Mabrey offers the Sun at least a partial solution to their offensive woes.

“She gives us the opportunity to run deeper with her ability to not only shoot the ball, but to make plays. You saw that last night in our game, not just making shots, but making plays, and making plays for her teammates and for herself. And she’s a clutch shot maker. We don’t have that — you’re going to see at certain points where we get to the back end of a shot clock or the bottom end of a shot clock, and we can’t get anything out of it. And she’s a player that can do that.”

DeWanna Bonner praised Mabrey’s willingness to come off the bench and thrive in that role.

“Man, she’s a dawg,” Bonner said. “She’s just someone that came on our team and we didn’t have to slow down. I feel like we didn’t miss a beat.”