WNBA: Solar undergo first lack of the season, fall 82-75 to the Liberty 

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The Connecticut Solar’s undefeated begin to the 2024 WNBA season got here to an finish on Saturday, because the they fell to the Liberty 82-75.

Connecticut led after three quarters, however was outscored 25-15 within the fourth. A Tyasha Harris 3-pointer lower the margin to 1 level, with New York holding the 76-75 benefit, with just below two minutes to play, however Jonquel Jones (22 factors, 4-for-7 from 3) responded with a 3 of her personal to provide the Liberty a four-point lead. Connecticut—who have been stagnant offensively within the last interval—by no means scored once more the remainder of the way in which, and a Sabrina Ionescu layup prolonged the result in six factors with 43 seconds to play.

It was the Solar’s first matchup with the Liberty since they have been eradicated by them in final yr’s WNBA semifinals, and as soon as once more, the Liberty got here out on high. New York’s victory implies that they’ll be the Jap Convention consultant within the Commissioner’s Cup Championship on June 25.

“I don’t assume we have been underneath any impression that we have been going to undergo this season undefeated,” Solar head coach Stephanie White mentioned. “Actually we wish to win those we’re speculated to, and when you might have a possibility to play a crew that that has been the place you wish to go, you wish to make the most of it. We didn’t do this tonight, so we simply reset. We return and watch the movie. We see the areas the place we had the slippage. We handle it, appropriate it, and are available out and transfer on.”

Alyssa Thomas completed the evening with 10 factors (5-for-11), 12 rebounds and seven assists, whereas DeWanna Bonner had 16 factors and eight rebounds. 4 different Solar gamers—Brionna Jones (13 factors), Tyasha Harris (11 factors), DiJonai Carrington (12 factors) and Tiffany Mitchell (12 factors)—all scored in double figures.

The Solar, one of many league’s poorest 3-point taking pictures groups, shot simply 4-for-16 from behind the arc, and 40.8 % from the sector general. New York shot 9-for-25 from 3 and 51.7 % from the sector. “I don’t assume we have been getting stops towards the tip of the sport,” Carrington mentioned. “We had loads of unforced turnovers, unforced errors. We simply didn’t get high quality photographs up.”

For the Liberty, Sabrina Ionescu led the cost with 24 factors (8-for-16) and Jonquel Jones added 22 factors (9-for-14). Breanna Stewart put up 13 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists, whereas Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had 10 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists. Ionescu additionally turned the quickest participant in WNBA historical past to make 300 profession 3-pointers.

The Solar, who fall to 9-1 on the yr, nonetheless high the league standings and made clear they’re conserving the loss in perspective. “No person likes to lose, we’re opponents,” Carrington mentioned. “Whoever we play each evening, we wish to go on the market and beat them. It’s not the tip of the world for us as a crew. It’s a 40-game season. We didn’t assume we have been going to go 40-0.”

Nonetheless, she made clear that the Solar really feel they need to have the benefit in future match-ups, regardless of the Liberty having the sting in current match-ups. “Clearly, it hurts, as a result of we predict we’re the higher crew, and we needed to win, like we do each evening.”

White mentioned that offensive lulls within the fourth quarter slowed the crew down. “On the finish of the day, while you’re competing for championships, while you’re enjoying nice groups, it’s consistency for 40 minutes,” she mentioned. “It’s hustle performs for 40 minutes. It’s self-discipline for 40 minutes. It’s particulars for 40 minutes. It’s a number of ranges of effort for 40 minutes, and we didn’t put collectively 40 minutes tonight and so they did.”