Brittney Griner blocked a potential tying 3-point shot by Kelsey Plum at the buzzer as the Connecticut Sun dealt visiting Phoenix a huge blow to any playoff hopes with a 75-72 win on Saturday night.
Plum, playing just her third game for Phoenix, had a game-high 25 points. Kennedy Burke led the Sun with 15 points off the bench. Aaliyah Edwards had 14.
The loss pushed Phoenix to 12-21 and 7 1/2 games behind Washington for the last playoff spot with 11 games left in the regular season.
The Sun took a 72-68 lead with 1:49 left in the game on a three by Burke. Kahleah Copper pulled Phoenix to within 72-70 on a drive.
After a turnover by the Sun, Phoenix inbounded the ball with 41 seconds left, and Griner was called for a foul trying to bull through a screen. Plum missed the single free throw awarded, then DeWanna Bonner missed a 31-foot three that would have given the Mercury the lead.
Leila Lacan was fouled and made one of two free throws to make it 73-70 Connecticut with 32.2 seconds left. Plum then drove to the basket and scored to make it a one-point game.
The Mercury fouled Lacan again, and she made both free throws with 12.9 seconds left. Phoenix didn’t call a timeout. Plum advanced the ball up the court and searched for room beyond the arc, but her attempt was tipped away by Griner, and Connecticut claimed the win.
The Sun (8-23) trailed by as many as 16 points in the second quarter but took advantage of a Phoenix team that went cold in the second half.
Connecticut took its first lead of the game late in the third quarter on a jumper by Lacan.
The win ruined the return of former Sun star Alyssa Thomas, who had her number retired by the Sun before the game. Thomas finished with 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting and was 4-for-10 from the free-throw line.
–Field Level Media
