WNBA: Jonquel Jones hits 5 3s, Lynx lose to Sun on the road 96-79
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Jonquel Jones made five 3-points and scored 26 points, Alyssa Thomas had 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and the Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 96-79 on Friday night.
Connecticut (20-13), winners of eight of nine, secured a first-round bye with the victory and Los Angeles’ loss at Washington. The Sun moved one-game ahead of fifth-place Los Angeles, with the teams meeting on Sunday in the regular-season finale. Connecticut holds the tiebreaker.
Jones made her fourth 3-pointer to extend Connecticut’s lead to 77-67 early in the fourth quarter. It came during the Sun’s 9-0 run to start the quarter.
Layshia Clarendon added 14 points for Connecticut. Chiney Ogwumike did not play due to a knee injury.
Sylvia Fowles had 25 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota (17-16). Fowles passed Taj McWilliams-Franklin for fifth on the WNBA rebounding list with 3,016. Maya Moore had 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Fowles scored 10 straight Minnesota points to give the Lynx a 26-21 lead. She made all seven of her shots in the first quarter for 14 points and had 16 by halftime.