UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Rookie Leila Lacan delivered a clutch performance in the final seconds, scoring six points in the last half-minute to lift the Connecticut Sun to a thrilling 87-84 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday. The loss dealt a significant blow to Phoenix’s pursuit of the No. 2 seed in next week’s WNBA playoffs.
Lacan, who joined the Sun midway through the season, drove to the basket to put Connecticut ahead 83-81 with just under 28 seconds remaining. She then calmly knocked down four free throws in the final 10 seconds — including two after a Satou Sabally three-pointer — to seal the win with 3.7 seconds on the clock.
The victory halted a six-game winning streak for the Mercury and overshadowed a historic moment for Alyssa Thomas, who regained the WNBA’s single-season assist record during the game.
Marina Mabrey led the Sun with 23 points, while Lacan finished with 14. Veteran forward Tina Charles had an emotional night, scoring 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds just hours after being honored for her humanitarian work, which brought her to tears pregame. Rookie Aneesah Morrow also made her mark, adding nine points and 13 rebounds.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix with 18 points. Thomas added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Sami Whitcomb chipped in 13 points, and Sabally had 11.
The game was tightly contested throughout, featuring 18 lead changes and no double-digit margins at any point.
Connecticut (11-31) wraps up the regular season with a home-and-home series against Atlanta, starting Monday in Georgia. Phoenix (27-15), now one game behind Atlanta and trailing in the tiebreaker for second place, will host Las Vegas on Tuesday.
