Sun rout cold-shooting Mercury to stay perfect

DeWanna Bonner scored 19 points as the Connecticut Sun took control in the second quarter and stayed unbeaten with a 70-47 victory over the visiting Phoenix Mercury Tuesday night in Uncasville, Conn.

The Sun are off their first 6-0 start in franchise history and notched their most lopsided win of the season after winning their past four contests by a combined 16 points. Connecticut led for the final 27:09 and seized control by outscoring the Mercury 23-12 in the second period.

Bonner eclipsed 7,000 points for her career and made 7 of 11 shots against her former team. Connecticut led by as many as 26 and earned the win despite shooting 35.1 percent and missing 19 of 24 3-point tries.

Brionna Jones added 16 on 8-of-15 shooting and Alyssa Thomas contributed 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds after being ejected from Saturday's win for a flagrant foul on Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese.

Natasha Cloud led Phoenix (3-3) with nine points and Kahleah Copper was held to seven on 2-of-11 shooting as the Mercury shot a dreadful 23.8 percent and misfired on 26 of 27 3-point tries. Former UConn star Diana Taurasi was held to six points as the veteran guard shot 2-of-14 from the field and missed all seven of her 3-point tries.

The Sun survived shooting 30 percent to finish the first quarter with a 15-13 lead after Copper ended the period by missing a 39-foot 3-pointer.

Phoenix tied the game on Sophie Cunningham's layup before Connecticut ripped off a 19-1 run and opened a 38-20 lead on a Thomas jumper with 2:18 left. The Sun settled for a 38-25 edge at halftime when Copper beat the buzzer with a layup.

After the Mercury scored on their first possession of the second half, the Sun continued to maintain control and a layup by Jones upped the lead to 46-29 with 6:29 remaining in the third. The Sun took their first 20-point lead with 3:20 left when Rachel Banham hit a 3-pointer for a 51-31 margin, and they held a 53-35 advantage entering the fourth.

--Field Level Media