Morrow's Double-Double Leads Sun to Narrow Victory Over Sparks

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Aneesah Morrow delivered an impressive performance with 17 points and 14 rebounds, marking her fourth straight game with a double-double, as the Connecticut Sun triumphed over the Los Angeles Sparks 84-81 on Saturday night at PeoplesBank Arena. Morrow currently tops the WNBA with seven double-doubles this season.

Kennedy Burke contributed 14 points for the Sun, while both Leila Lacan, making her season debut, and Diamond Miller added 12 points each. The victory was critical for Connecticut (2-8), who had faced a three-game losing streak, all by at least ten points, prior to this match. The Sun also matched their season high with 11 steals during the game.

The Sparks (4-4) were led by Ariel Atkins and Rae Burrell, who each scored 16 points. Erica Wheeler added 13 points and Dearica Hamby chipped in 11. Nneka Ogwumike also made her mark, finishing with 12 points and three rebounds, while reaching a significant milestone with her 3,315th career rebound, tying her with Tamika Catchings for fifth place on the WNBA’s all-time list.

The game took a tense turn in the fourth quarter when Wheeler's layup 27 seconds in was followed by a long drought for the Sparks, who did not score again until Wheeler found the basket with 3:38 remaining. Ogwumike converted a three-point play, and Atkins hit two free throws to close the gap to three points shortly after. Burrell's three-pointer brought the score to 81-79 with just 52 seconds left, but the Sparks couldn't narrow the deficit further.

In a concerning moment for Connecticut, Brittney Griner, back from a four-game absence due to a rib injury, was forced to exit the game late in the first half after an eye poke, finishing with nine points. Lacan recently helped Basket Landes secure a championship in the French league, where she was named finals MVP. Meanwhile, Kelsey Plum (ankle) missed another game for the Sparks; she leads the league with an average of 28.6 points per game and is set for re-evaluation on Tuesday.

Looking ahead, the Sparks will host Las Vegas on Tuesday, while the Sun will travel to face Atlanta.