LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 8: Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Connecticut Sun drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Sparks on September 8, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Brionna Jones scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, DiJonai Carrington added 19 points and Alyssa Thomas recorded her third triple-double of the season Sunday night to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Los Angeles Sparks, 79-67.
Thomas finished with 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds and has a WNBA-leading three triple-doubles this season and her 11 career in the regular season are the most in league history.
DeWanna Bonner scored 14 points and Marina Mabrey added 10 for Connecticut (25-10), which had lost back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Mabrey hit a three-pointer with 6:26 to play that gave Connecticut its first lead since 22-20 early in the second quarter and Carrington followed with an alley-oop layup to cap a 10-3 spurt that made it 69-66 about 30 seconds later and the Sun led the rest of the way.
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Neither team scored until Rickea Jackson made one of two free throws to make it a two-point game with 3:36 remaining but the Sparks went scoreless from there, shooting 0 for five from the field and committing seven turnovers over the final 6 1/2 minutes.
Los Angeles (7-28), which has lost four in a row and 11 of its last 12, became the first WNBA team eliminated from playoff contention after a 92-78 loss to the Chicago Sky on Friday night.
Jackson led the Sparks with 23 points on nine-of-18 shooting. Odyssey Sims and Dearica Hamby added 10 points apiece.
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Connecticut has won 13 consecutive games against the Sparks, dating to an 80-76 home loss on Aug. 28, 2020.
The Sun scored their first 14 points in the paint before Mabrey hit a three-pointer to make it 17-11 before Jackson capped a 7-0 spurt to give the Sparks a 20-19 lead early in the second quarter.
Jackson scored 11 points and Hamby added 10 in the first half before Kia Nurse hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Los Angeles a 45-39 lead at the intermission.
