Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 26 points, fueling the Connecticut Sun to their first win of the season in an 85-83 victory over the Indiana Fever on Friday in Indianapolis.
Mabrey made 10 of 17 shots from the floor for the Sun (1-5), who overcame squandering a late 15-point lead to hand the Fever (2-4) their third straight loss — and second without Caitlin Clark. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year is expected to sit out at least two more games due to a strained left quad.
Connecticut’s Tina Charles scored 18 points to offset 11 turnovers and Saniya Rivers collected 12 points and six assists.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa collected eight points and nine rebounds for the Sun, who shot 51.7 percent from the floor.
Indiana’s Aliyah Boston scored 17 points while dealing with foul trouble, while Kelsey Mitchell and former Sun star DeWanna Bonner each had 13. Mitchell, however, was unable to make an off-balance 3-point attempt as time expired to end the game.
Sophie Cunningham scored 10 points off the bench before sustaining an apparent ankle injury with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. She did not return.
Sydney Colson, who replaced Clark in the starting lineup for the last two games, injured her left leg after getting tangled up with Sun guard Jacy Sheldon while vying for a loose ball with 1:17 remaining in the first quarter. Colson did not return to the game.
Bria Hartley sank a 3-pointer and Haley Peters converted a three-point play to extend Connecticut’s lead to 74-59 early in the fourth quarter before Indiana ignited a 16-0 run. Bonner drained a pair of 3-pointers before Boston converted in the paint to give the Fever a 75-74 lead with 3:16 to play.
The Sun regained their composure, as Rivers sank a pair of free throws and joined Hartley on back-to-back 3-pointers before Mabrey made a long jumper to stake their team to an 84-81 lead with 1:15 to play.
Mitchell made a layup with eight seconds to go, but her attempt to win the game was off target.
–Field Level Media
