Sun Loses Steam in Fourth Quarter, Falls 71-61
WNBA Connecticut Sun

Sun Loses Steam in Fourth Quarter, Falls 71-61

Published on May 28, 2026 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Connecticut Sun News Release


Portland, OR - Tonight, the Connecticut Sun (1-8) fell 71-61 to the Portland Fire (5-3) on Wednesday night inside Moda Center. Connecticut will return home to face the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, May 30 at 6:00pm EST inside Peoplesbank Arena in Hartford.

Aneesah Morrow led the way for the Sun, recording 13 points and 13 rebounds in her sixth double-double of the season. Charlisse Leger-Walker chipped in with 11 points, while Saniya Rivers and Hailey Van Lith added seven points apiece. For the Fire, Carla Leite logged 20 points and Bridget Carleton collected 13.

Morrow got the Sun offense started, cutting to the basket for two following a dish from Rivers. Leite, Carleton, and Nyadiew Pouch answered at the other end, combining for seven points, taking a quick 7-2 lead. After having no answer for the Fire, Leger-Walker knocked down a 12' jumper, logging her first points of the game. Portland led 11-4 before Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Van Lith got on the board with two apiece cutting the lead to 11-8. Morrow recorded back-to-back shots to put the Sun within three at 15-12. The Sun took the lead 16-15 following a trip to the line from Kennedy Burke and an additional two points at the rim. Closing the first quarter, the Fire collected two points from Carleton for a 17-16 lead.

Early in the second, Van Lith gave the Sun momentum with a quick lay but fouled Leite, sending her to the line and giving the Fire a 19-18 advantage. Making immediate impact off the bench was Raegan Beers who logged her first points of the contest putting Connecticut ahead 20-19. Luisa Geiselsoder dropped in a 24' three to take the lead, but Burke picked up two from down low to level the contest, 22-22. Carleton continued expanding her range, knocking down a 24' three and giving Portland another lead, 25-22. The Fire was on a 4-0 run until Morrow used a dish from Beers to cut to the basket for two. Rivers and Carleton traded buckets after empty possessions by both teams, but the Fire led 37-27 at the half.

After a quiet first half offensively, Diamond Miller posted her first points of the game, earning two in the post. Leite was sent to the foul line by Leger-Walker and extended the lead, 39-28, but Morrow used a bucket from 25' to cut into the lead 39-32. Emily Engstler responded, picking up two, and Rivers dropped in two of her own, giving Connecticut an offensive boost. Leger-Walker knocked down two at the line following a foul from Puoch, closing the gap 41-36. A missed opportunity from Rivers turned into consecutive shots from Nelson-Ododa and Leger-Walker to put the Sun within one, 43-42. The Miller dish and Morrow two gave Connecticut the 44-43 lead, but it was Sarah Ashley Barker who answered for the Fire, changing the lead once again. Down the stretch, Morrow collected her second block of the night and opened the driving lane for a Leger-Walker assist and a Beers two. With a little under a minute left in the third, Gianna Kneepkens grabbed her first points at the charity stripe giving the Sun a 50-49 lead. The score was tied at 50-50 heading into the final frame.

Kneepkens remained in her offensive flow, picking up two on a turnaround jumper to open the fourth. Van Lith extended the Sun lead, 55-50, earning five unanswered points. Despite trailing, Teja Oblak and Frieda Buhner combined for six points to take the lead, 58-55. The Fire began to pull away, 60-55, with Carleton at the helm. It was all Portland at the end, with Leite and Buhner dropping in back-to-back three pointers for a 66-57 lead. The Sun could not recover from the offensive push used by the Fire in the final minutes and fell, 71-61.

Game Note:

Aneesah Morrow recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Team Score Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 PTS REB AST

CON 70 16 11 23 11 Morrow - 13 Morrow -13 Nelson-Ododa - 4

PDX 97 17 20 13 21 Leite -20 Barker- 10 Carleton - 3

NEXT GAME: The Connecticut Sun return home to face the Los Angeles Sparks inside Peoplesbank Arena on Saturday, May 30 at 6:00pm EST.

Check out the Connecticut Sun Statistics

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