Rachel Banham had the recent hand, drilling a career-best 8 3-pointers and scoring 24 issues whilst Dijonai Carrington recorded her first profession double-double (12 issues, career-high 11 rebounds) because the Connecticut Solar rolled previous the visiting Phoenix Mercury 96-69 Sunday afternoon.
Banham’s ultimate 3-pointer got here with 6.7 seconds to move because the Solar prolonged their result in 96-67. She set the single-game WNBA report for 3-pointers in a recreation via a bench participant.
Connecticut (18-5) applied a balanced assault that still featured 17 issues from DeWanna Bonner and 16 issues out of Brionna Jones because the Solar stepped forward to 3-0 this season in opposition to the Mercury (12-12).
Kaleah Copper led Phoenix with 17 issues. Brittney Griner added 16 and Natasha Cloud scored 10 for the Mercury, who misplaced their 2nd in a row.
Best forward 48-42 on the part, the Solar grew to become the tide within the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Mercury 19-9. The length ended with Bonner hitting a turnaround jumper as time expired as Connecticut led 67-51 going into the fourth.
Phoenix had the higher hand early, development an 18-9 lead with 3:40 left within the opening quarter. Copper fueled the rate with six issues.
The momentum was once quickly ripped away because the Solar closed the quarter on an 11-2 run punctuated via Tiffany Mitchell’s off-balance shot with 53.9 to play that tied the sport at 20-20.
Jones grabbed a rebound and was once fouled attempting to return up for a shot, hitting two unfastened throws to place the Solar up 31-29 with 5:44 to move. That was once the beginning of a 7-0 run capped via Banham’s 3rd 3-pointer of the quarter, giving Connecticut a 36-29 lead with 4:48 to play.
Banham hit her fourth shot from distance with 23 seconds left within the part after which virtually knocked down a desperation 3-point shot on the buzzer sooner than the ball bounced off the rim.
Connecticut took its first double-digit lead of the day with 8:57 last within the 3rd when Carrington sank two unfastened throws for a 52-42 cushion.
The Mercury failed to reply and trailed via as many as 23 in the second one part.
–Box Degree Media
