Sun Dim Sparks 84-81 in Hartford
Published on May 30, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release
Hartford, CT - Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (2-8) banded together for a 84-81 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks (4-4), Saturday at PeoplesBank Arena.
Aneesah Morrow secured her seventh double-double of 202the season earning 17 points and 14 rebounds, keeping her atop the WNBA leaderboard in double-doubles this season. Kennedy Burke put up 14 points off the bench with six rebounds, while Leïla Lacan and Diamond Miller put up 12 points apiece. The game was Lacan's first back with Connecticut this season. Brittney Griner contributed nine points before sustaining an injury that ruled her out in the second quarter, making her the 18th player to eclipse 6,000 career points.
Lacan got the Sun offense started with a long range two-pointer after Rae Burrell scored inside. Lacan collected five unanswered points, before Morrow got started offensively, scoring her first points of the contest at the rim. Nneka Ogwumike ended the scoring drought for Los Angeles driving to the rim for two before Ariel Atkins clocked in for the Sparks with a pullup jumper. Morrow responded at the other end, knocking down a jumper of her own. The Sun defense forced a turnover following a block from Rivers, and Morrow once again found the bottom of the net from inside the paint. The Sun led 15-8 after Diamond Miller logged her first bucket on the night, but the Sparks cut into the lead with an 8-0 run to take the lead 16-15. Connecticut regained the lead, 17-16, with Miller driving to the basket for two. With shots falling for the Sun, Burke got on the board with a 25' three after a dish from Miller. A last-second shot from Dearica Hamby cut the Sun lead to 20-18 before closing the first quarter. The Sun shot 66.7 percent from three in the first while the Sparks shot 22.2 percent from deep.
Both teams went scoreless three minutes into the second until Burke opened the scoring column following a dish from Lacan. Kate Martin sparked the Los Angeles offense with a floater for her first points of the contest, but Griner dropped in two on the other end surpassing her 6000-point milestone. Building on an already historic night for the vet, Griner earned two at the rim to tie the game, but Atkins hit two consecutive three-pointers extending the Sparks lead, 33-27. Morrow brought the Sun within just two at 33-31, knocking down a '17 jumper giving her eight points on the night. A missed opportunity from Atkins turned into points for Connecticut as Griner continued to dominate from inside the paint. Ogwumike snagged two at the free throw line to push the Sparks lead to 36-33, but the Sun used seven unanswered points in the last 11 seconds of the quarter to take a 39-36 advantage heading into halftime. Connecticut recorded seven steals and five blocks in the first half, the most in a half for the Sun this season.
The third quarter opened with Burrell snagging an offensive rebound and two second chance points after a miss from Atkins. Lacan carried her momentum into the third immediately returning the favor on the other end with two of her own. Connecticut's defense remained a constant theme in tonight's matchup with Charlisse Leger-Walker grabbing her second steal of the night and Rivers laying it in for two, pushing the Sun lead to 43-39. Morrow extended her range with a 24' three marking her seventh double-double of the season. The Sparks refused to be put away as Chance Gray dropped in a 25' three displaying her range and Hamby cut to the basket for two closing in on the Sun 51-50. Burrell got in on the action from deep and tied the contest 53-53 following an assist from Gray. It became a battle down the stretch with the lead belonging to the Sparks at 56-58; however, rookie Nell Angloma used a 2-for-2 opportunity at the line to even the score 58-58. With under 40 seconds left in the third, driving to the basket was Rivers who gave the Sun a 61-60 lead. The Sun closed the third 62-60 following a made free throw from Burke.
Burke was unstoppable finding her range from deep to open the final frame. Connecticut got out to a 69-64 lead with Morrow and Lacan at the helm of the offensive success for the Sun. Miller dropped in five points to push the lead to 75-66 with a little over three minutes remaining in the final. Wheeler, Ogwumike and Atkins combined for six points attempting to close the scoring gap 75-72, but a dish from Rivers led Morrow to the basket for two. Again, Ogwumike and Wheeler put the Sparks offense on their back in hopes of gaining momentum, but the Los Angeles defense had no answer for Burke's post work. Burrell knocked down a 25' three bringing the Sparks within two, 81-79. The Sparks sent Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Burke to the line in hopes of an extra possession, but the Sun sealed the win 84-81.
Game Note:
Brittney Griner surpassed the 6000-point mark in the second quarter of the contest, becoming the 18th player in WNBA history to achieve the feat.
Aneesah Morrow recorded her seventh double-double of the season with
In her sophomore debut for the Sun, Leïla Lacan recorded 12 points and three assists.
Team Score Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 PTS REB AST
CON 84 20 19 24 22 Morrow - 17 Morrow -14 Rivers - 4
LAS 81 18 18 23 21 Burrell/Atkins-16 Hamby-7 Wheeler - 6
NEXT GAME: The Connecticut Sun are back on the road as they face the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, June 3 inside Gateway Center Arena at 7:30 PM ET.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 30, 2026
- Indiana Fever Suffer Defeat at Portland Fire - Indiana Fever
- Sun Dim Sparks 84-81 in Hartford - Connecticut Sun
- Connecticut Sun Sign Hailey Van Lith to Developmental Contract - Connecticut Sun
- Seattle Storm Postgame Notes 5.30.26 - Seattle Storm
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