Liberty Sweep Sun, 82-75
Published on August 15, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release
Uncasville, CT - The Connecticut Sun (8-25) fell to the New York Liberty (22-14), 82-75, Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded a career season-high with her fourth double-double, notching 21 points (career high) and 10 rebounds off 7-of-9 shooting. Charlisse Leger-Walker added 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks with four three-pointers. Diamond Miller notched 12 points and seven rebounds, while Leila Lacan totaled 10 points and six assists.
Jonquel Jones grabbed a second-chance basket to score the first points of the match. Leila Lacan responded down the stretch for the Sun with a mid-range bucket before Charlisse Leger-Walker poked a steal from Breanna Stewart. Pauline Astier drove to the rim, but Kennedy Burke kept the Liberty's tie attempt short-lived with a make under the basket. Olivia Nelson-Ododa propelled the Sun ahead with a contested layup and converted the and-1 to give the Sun a five-point advantage. Astier got in again under the rim. Leger-Walker added a second-chance put-back before finding Nelson-Ododa open in the paint. Leger-Walker got hot from beyond the arc just before Lacan hit a shot from mid-range to give the Sun a double-digit lead. Marine Johannes hit a corner three before Leger-Walker shot from deep to regain the Sun's double-digit lead. Marine Fauthoux etched out her own three but Saniya Rivers responded with a full-court effort to get the contested layup. Fauthoux rushed to get a make at the rim, but Lacan took charge for the Sun. Jones found herself another basket before fouling and sending Lacan to the charity stripe.
Jones opened the second with a basket, but Nelson-Ododa recorded her 1,000th career points at the foul line. Jones then hit a three-pointer from 26' out, followed by Rebekah Gardner's make at the rim. Diamond Miller opened her scoring with two points from free throws to remedy New York's 9-2 run. Gardner answered with a three to bring the Liberty within two points. Miller drove to the rim to open up the Sun's lead again, but Han Xu attacked the rim to grab her first points. Nelson-Ododa tallied a second-chance make to recoup a four-point lead. Jones punched back with another three to cut the deficit, followed by a three from Rebecca Allen to give New York's its first lead of the game. Stewart hit a shot to give New York a six-point lead. Jones found her third three of the match, reversing Connecticut's early 10+ point advantage to New York's own 11 points. Nelson-Ododa found a bucket against Han to end the half.
Nelson-Ododa tipped-off the first half with two points, tying a season high, followed by Leger-Walker's third three of the contest to cut New York's lead down to two possessions. Burke forced a turnover to breakup the Liberty's offense, but Johannes poked a steal free and brought it down the stretch to score from downtown. Johannes tacked on another three, but Lacan answered for Connecticut with a three of her own. Jones expanded New York's lead back up with a make under the rim, but Miller punched back with a shot from deep. Stewart hit it off from distance, but Nell Angloma got a shot under pressure at the shot clock buzzer for her first points. Stewart gained two points at the charity stripe before Miller shot another dagger from beyond the arc and Saniya Rivers blocked Anneli Maley. New York and Connecticut traded free throws to end in a five-point advantage to New York heading into the final frame.
Raegan Beers and Angloma tied up Jones to start the fourth quarter off with a steal, while Rivers hit the line on the opposite end to gain an extra point. Leger-Walker snagged a steal, but Gardner hit the rim with a layup. Leger-Walker shot from deep to bring the Sun within three points with eight minutes remaining of regulation. Rivers hit the mid-range pull-up jumper to bring Connecticut within one point. Johannes made a three to remount the Liberty's lead, followed by a basket by Jones. Astier added two points with a rush to the paint, but Nelson-Ododa responded down the stretch. Johannes notched another three-pointer. Nelson-Ododa claimed two points at the charity stripe, but Allen hit a three to give the Liberty a rallied 10-point lead with three minutes remaining. Johannes got in again under the rim, but Burke scored another two at the foul line.
The Sun shot 29 threes and made eight, with Leger-Walker accounting for half of Connecticut's 3PM. The Liberty were 13-of-27 from deep, with Johannes hitting five three-pointers to help seal the win. Connecticut outrebounded New York, 35-30, and blocked more shots, 7-4. New York outperformed Connecticut in the paint, 34-28, and in points off turnovers, 15-10.
Game Notes:
Olivia Nelson-Ododa recorded her 1,000th career points in the match, while also notching a career-high 21 points. She also notched her fourth double-double with a set of 10 rebounds, marking her highest double-double record in a season.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from August 15, 2026
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- Los Angeles Sparks Sign Tonie Morgan to Standard Contract - Los Angeles Sparks
- Connecticut Sun Sign Rayah Marshall to Developmental Contract - Connecticut Sun
- Liberty Sweep Sun, 82-75 - Connecticut Sun
- Connecticut Sun Convert Ashlon Jackson to Rest-Of-Season Contract - Connecticut Sun
- Fever Tip off Five-Game Trip in Atlanta - Indiana Fever
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