In a matchup between two of the best defenses in the WNBA, it’s no surprise that the final highlight of Sunday’s game would be a defensive stop.
Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals between the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx came down to the wire and the visiting Sun pulled out a 73-70 victory, stealing home-court advantage.
The Sun will look to take a commanding lead in this series when they take on the Lynx in Game 2 of this best-of-five series on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at the Target Center. Tip-off is set for 9:30 ET on ESPN2.
Marina Mabrey finished with a game-high 20 points, including six three-pointers to keep the Sun’s offense moving throughout the game.
Alyssa Thomas was key for Connecticut down the stretch, scoring the last two baskets in the final minute. Her clutch free-throw line jumper with 11.7 seconds left secured a three-point lead for Connecticut.
Coming out of the timeout, the Lynx tried creating an opening for Kayla McBride beyond the arc. But the Sun blew up the play with DiJonai Carrington cutting off the passing lane, forcing the ball to Napheesa Collier.
With Thomas guarding close and leaving no room for a quick three, Collier drove hard and got by Thomas. But Collier decided against the layup and tried instead to pull the ball out to the perimeter, looking for the three.
But Thomas anticipated this, tracking Collier down and forcing her into a difficult shot at the buzzer to no avail for the hosts.
“We were just trying to switch everything,” Mabrey said after the game. “Make sure that they only got a two if they scored (and) not turning our head over and overhelping in communication.”
Neither side could find an edge early on, with seven lead changes in the first quarter alone. Marina Mabrey nailed her first three with about four minutes to go in the first before Bridget Carleton responded to tie the game at 14-14.
But the Sun locked down the Lynx in the final minutes, scoring nine unanswered points. Collier scored a difficult shot to beat a shot-clock violation in the final minute to cut the lead to seven heading into the second.
The Sun fiercely attacked the boards, collecting six in the first half. Connecticut pushed its advantage to nine with 7:33 left, but Minnesota clamped down and held the Sun silent for the next four minutes. A 15-0 run turned the game for the Lynx, giving them a six-point advantage.
Mabrey ended the drought with a triple, kickstarting a 10-0 run for the Sun to regain a narrow advantage heading into halftime. The sixth-year guard accounted for all three of the Sun’s perimeter shots in the first half.
“I just had to sense pockets of us going in drought… see if I can get us going, get a shot (myself) or at least get somebody else downhill with an advantage,” Mabrey said. “So just picking my spots and being there whenever they need me offensively.”
The second half began like the first, but Connecticut stayed in front for most of the third. The Lynx held the Sun in the final two minutes of the quarter to take a five-point advantage, capping off their best quarter scoring-wise yet.
But with the game on the line, the Sun tightened the screws in the fourth. They held the Lynx scoreless early and tied the game three minutes into the quarter. Collier broke Minnesota’s drought, but DeWanna Bonner responded with a three to put the Sun back in front.
The Sun held the Lynx to just eight points in the final quarter. Collier finished with a team-high 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. The sixth-year star was honored before the game for being named the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
“(Collier) is going to keep attacking you, she moves around a lot,” Thomas said. “(Minnesota) play five out and it’s not easy when you’re helping people but (it’s a) team effort.
“Coming into this series, she was hot, really hot, and I think we did a great job (on her) tonight.”
Thomas came close to recording another playoff triple-double, ending with 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, adding three steals as well.
