Marina Mabrey scorches her former team with 24 points as the Sun narrowly defeat the Sky.

 Phoenix, AZ, USA; July 19, 2024 — Connecticut Sun player Marina Mabrey showcased her skills in the 3-point contest during the WNBA All-Star Skills Night at the Footprint Center. (Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

In an exciting game on Friday night, Alyssa Thomas hit two free throws with just 4.1 seconds remaining, leading the Connecticut Sun to a thrilling 82-80 victory over the Chicago Sky in Uncasville, Conn. Thomas finished the night with 12 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, and four steals. She drew Chennedy Carter's sixth foul, contributing crucial points that helped Connecticut improve to 21-7, while Chicago fell to 11-17 after failing to take a shot on their final possession.

Marina Mabrey, facing her former team for the first time since joining the Sun last month, came off the bench to lead all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. DeWanna Bonner added 15 points, and Brionna Jones chipped in with 12.

For the Sky, Carter led the team with 19 points, supported by Kamilla Cardoso, who scored 18 on 8-of-11 shooting. Lindsay Allen contributed 14 points and six assists, while rookie Angel Reese notched 13 points and an impressive 20 rebounds for her 21st double-double. Reese made WNBA history by becoming the first player to record back-to-back 20-rebound games, having grabbed 20 boards against the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.

Chicago built a six-point lead three times in the fourth quarter and held an 80-77 advantage after Reese sank two free throws with 1:52 left. However, the Sky failed to score on their last four possessions.

The game began with Chicago taking an early 14-9 lead before Carter was called for a flagrant foul on Mabrey during a post-up. This incident ignited an 8-3 run by Connecticut to close the first quarter, highlighted by Mabrey’s second 3-pointer.

Riding that momentum, the Sun established a comfortable lead in the second quarter. Mabrey continued her hot streak with two more 3-pointers and a floater, allowing her team to head into halftime with a 45-35 lead.

The Sky rallied in the third quarter, with Reese shaking off a scoreless first half to score nine points, contributing to Chicago's 29-point effort in the period. Allen’s layup with 2.9 seconds left gave the Sky a narrow 64-63 lead heading into the final quarter.

--Field Level Media