Sun on brink of elimination after Game 3 loss to Lynx

Sun on brink of elimination after Game 3 loss to Lynx originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It’s officially win or go home for the Connecticut Sun in their WNBA semifinal series against the Minnesota Lynx.

The Sun find themselves down 2-1 in the best-of-five series after dropping Game 3 Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena, 90-81. They’ll need a bounce-back shooting performance – and a solution for Lynx forward Napheesa Collier – in the next matchup to force a do-or-die Game 5.

Connecticut shot just 41.1 percent from the floor and 3 for 20 (15 percent) from 3-point range in the defeat. Meanwhile, Minnesota made 57.4 percent of its shots.

Collier dominated with a game-high 26 points (11-19 FG) and 10 rebounds. Courtney Williams (16 points), Kayla McBride (13 points), and Bridget Carleton (12 points) also played key roles in Minnesota’s victory.

All five Sun starters scored in double figures, but bench points were the difference as Minnesota totaled 16 to Connecticut’s four. Brionna Jones led the Sun with 21 points while Alyssa Thomas notched another near triple-double (13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 asssits) in the losing effort.

It was a particularly rough night for Sun guard Marina Mabrey, who had 14 points but made just 1 of her 12 shots from deep. She’ll look to find her groove in Game 4 this Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena.