UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 34 points and Tina Charles had seven of her 19 points in the final six minutes to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Atlanta Dream 84-76 on Friday night for their first home victory this season.
Mabrey shot 13 for 22 from the field, including 3 for 8 on 3-pointers, and 5 for 6 at the free-throw line for her fourth career 30-point game. She was two points shy of tying her career-high 36 set on June 15, 2023 against Indiana.
Mabrey scored six points during Connecticut’s 12-2 run to open the third quarter for a 48-37 lead.
Connecticut led 58-45 with 2:40 left in the third before Atlanta went on a 16-4 run to get to 62-61 on Rhyne Howard’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer. But the Dream only had one field goal in the opening five minutes of the fourth to trail 71-64.
The Sun starters finished with 75 points.
Bria Hartley scored 11 points and rookie Saniya Rivers had three steals and two blocks for Connecticut (2-6). Olivia Nelson-Ododa did not play in the second half due to an ankle injury.
Howard and Brittney Griner led Atlanta (5-3) with 18 points apiece. Naz Hillmon had 14 points and Allisha Gray added 11.
SPARKS 93, WINGS 79
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Azura Stevens had 21 points including a career-high five 3-pointers, Dearica Hamby added 20 points, and Los Angeles beat Dallas to snap a three-game losing streak.
Hamby and Stevens each reached 20-plus points for the fourth time this season. Odyssey Sims, who was coming off a 32-point performance in an 85-80 loss to Phoenix on Sunday, added 19 points and three 3-pointers for the Sparks.
Los Angeles took a 45-40 lead at halftime after Sims converted a three-point play with 2.2 seconds left. Sims finished the half with nine points, Stevens added 13 and Hamby had 11.
The Sparks started the third quarter on a 6-0 run and added a 9-0 run to begin the fourth for a 76-55 lead. The Wings had three turnovers and two missed shots in the opening three minutes of the fourth.
Stevens reached her career high on 3-pointers with 4:45 left in the fourth on a wide-open shot from the corner off a nice drive and pass by Kelsey Plum.
Plum had 11 points, five rebounds and nine assists and Rickea Jackson scored 10 for Los Angeles (3-6).
The Associated Press
