Sun Burns Storm: Brionna Jones’ 26 Points Leave Seattle in the Shade

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Brionna Jones was on fire, dropping a season-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, leading the Connecticut Sun to a solid 93-86 win over the Seattle Storm. Marina Mabrey chipped in 15 points, while DiJonai Carrington added 14, pushing Connecticut to 24-8 for the season.

The Storm tried to rally late with Gabby Williams making it a three-point game with just 23.1 seconds left, but they couldn’t score again. Carrington’s layup early in the second quarter gave the Sun a lead they never surrendered, with Seattle struggling to keep up, shooting just 5-of-15 in the second period and giving up five turnovers.

Jewell Loyd led Seattle with 27 points, and Nneka Ogwumike recorded a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Skylar Diggins-Smith contributed 16 points, while Ezi Magbegor added 13, but it wasn’t enough to stop the red-hot Sun, who shot over 54% from the field and dominated the paint.

Seattle is now 19-13 and on a rough patch, having lost 5 of their last 7 games since the Olympic break. With the playoffs looming, the Storm are in danger of slipping in the standings and might have to face Connecticut again in a tough road series.

Alyssa Thomas, who left the previous game with an injury, came back strong for Connecticut with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in 28 minutes. The Storm had beaten the Sun earlier in the season, but this time Connecticut was too much to handle.

The Storm need to find answers quickly if they hope to avoid an early playoff exit, especially if they end up facing a Connecticut team that’s been a nightmare for them on the road.