Tyasha Harris and Natisha Hiedeman each scored 18 points and led a 3-point barrage to lift the Connecticut Sun past the Phoenix Mercury for the first time this season, 84-74, on Thursday in Uncasville, Conn.
Harris and Hiedeman both canned four triples and combined to shoot 8-for-10 from distance for the Sun (25-11), who shot a sizzling 12 of 18 (66.7 percent) on 3-pointers.
DeWanna Bonner added three treys and finished with 15 points, Tiffany Hayes hit for 13 points and Alyssa Thomas supplied 12 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to notch her WNBA record-extending 26th double-double this season.
Connecticut won despite making six fewer field goals than the Mercury and shooting just 31.2 percent in the first half.
The Sun seized control after a rocky first two quarters by clamping down on defense and initiating contact on the offensive end.
After Phoenix shot 50 percent to take a 41-38 lead into halftime, Connecticut held the Mercury to eight points in the third period and drew seven fouls it converted into nine made free throws on 12 attempts.
Hayes’ runner at the 5:49 mark in the third quarter broke a 43-43 tie and came amid an 8-0 Sun run that put the Sun ahead for good.
Phoenix trimmed Connecticut’s lead to 49-47 on Michaela Onyenwere’s jumper, but the Sun made six straight free throws and used Hiedeman’s 3-pointer to charge ahead 58-49 with just over a minute left in the third quarter.
The Mercury got no closer than 68-64 with 4:29 left in the game as Harris canned a pair of key triples down the stretch to put the game out of reach. Harris’ 18 points tied her career high.
Brittney Griner paced Phoenix (9-27) with 15 points in its 14th straight road loss, which dropped its WNBA-worst road record to 1-17.
Sug Sutton added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, Onyenwere scored 11 points and Megan Gustafson contributed 10 points off the bench in Phoenix’s season-high seventh straight loss.
The Mercury dominated the Sun near the basket in the first half. Phoenix outscored Connecticut 26-8 in the paint and held the Sun to 4-for-21 shooting on 2-pointers. Bonner drilled a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer to pull Connecticut within 41-38.
–Field Level Media