Connecticut Falls to Indiana on the Road, 88-71

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WNBA Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Falls to Indiana on the Road, 88-71

June 17, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release


Indianapolis, IN - Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (2-9) dropped their final Commissioner's Cup contest to the Indiana Fever (6-5), 88-71, on the road in Indianapolis. The Sun are now 1-1 against the Fever during the 2025 regular season.

Tina Charles led the Sun with 20 points, four rebounds, a season-high three assists and one block on the night. It marked her fourth 20+ point performance of 2025 and her 10th double-digit scoring finish of the year.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds in the effort. She finished 6/8 from the field and tied her season-high with five offensive boards. Jaelyn Brown rounded out the Sun's double-digit scorers with a season-high 13 points, along with one rebound, one steal and one block in the game.

The Sun trailed the Fever, 16-12, heading into the first media timeout of the contest. Tina Charles had six of Connecticut's 12 points through the opening minutes of the game. An 11-8 finish to the quarter by the Sun cut the Fever's lead to one, 24-23, heading into the second. Charles notched 10 of her 20 points in the first quarter to lead Connecticut in scoring through ten minutes of action.

Both teams traded baskets to begin the second quarter, with Indiana taking a 31-29 lead with 5:45 to play in the first half. Olivia Nelson-Ododa tallied four of the Sun's six points to open the quarter. The Fever went on a 10-4 run out of the first media break of the second to extend their lead to eight, 41-33 and force the Sun into a timeout with 3:27 to play in the quarter. Connecticut and Indiana each scored six points to close the quarter, with the Fever taking a 47-39 advantage into the locker room. Tina Charles led all scorers at the break with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block.

Marina Mabrey opened the second half scoring with a lay-in to cut the lead to six, 47-41, but the Fever responded with an 8-2 spurt to extend their advantage to 12, 55-43 and force the Sun into a timeout with 7:26 to play in the third. Indiana outscored Connecticut, 21-13, in the third quarter to take a 16-point lead into the fourth, 68-52.

The Sun started the fourth on a 9-3 run to trim the Fever's lead to 10, 71-61 and force the Fever into a timeout with 7:46 to play in the game. Jaelyn Brown tallied points, while Saniya Rivers added four points on that opening run to the quarter. Indiana responded on a 7-2 spurt to push their lead back up to 15, 78-63, with 5:14 to go in the fourth. The Sun dropped the fourth quarter, 20-19. Jaelyn Brown and Olivia Nelson-Ododa each had six points in the final ten minutes to pace Connecticut.

Caitlin Clark led the Fever with 20 points, one rebound, six assists and two steals. Kelsey Mitchell added 17 points, while Natasha Howard notched a double-double with 16 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. With the win and the loss by the Atlanta Dream to New York, the Fever will represent the Eastern Conference in the 2025 Commissioner's Cup championship game.

Notes:

Today marked the Sun's fifth and final Commissioner's Cup game of the 2025 season. With the loss, another $1,000 will be donated to the ACLU of Connecticut, the Sun's 2025 Commissioner's Cup beneficiary, with the final total this season at $7,000.

Connecticut tied their season low with just three three-point field goals made, going 3/21 (14.3%).

The Sun forced the Fever into 18 turnovers, resulting in 20 of their 71 points on the night.

Marina Mabrey finished with just six points, but a team-high eight rebounds and a season-high three steals. It also marked the first game Mabrey failed to make a three-point field goal, as she went 0/6 from beyond the arc.

Saniya Rivers added seven points, three rebounds, a team-high five assists and one block in the game.

After the Sun's bench contributed just two points in their last game against Chicago, the bench chipped 27 of Connecticut's 71 points.

Connecticut outscored Indiana on second-chance opportunities (15-12) and from the bench (27-18, but Indiana won the paint (38-34) and the fastbreak (11-5).

Team Score Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 PTS REB AST

CON 71 23 16 13 19 Charles- 20 Mabrey/Nelson-Ododa- 8 Rivers- 5

IND 88 24 23 21 20 Clark- 20 Howard- 12 Clark- 6

NEXT GAME: The Connecticut Sun host the Phoenix Mercury for the first time this season on Wednesday, June 18 at 7:00 PM ET at Mohegan Sun Arena.

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