Phoenix aims to remain undefeated vs. teams with losing records in matchup at Connecticut

UNCASVILLE (CT) — The Phoenix Mercury will try to stay perfect against sub-.500 opponents when they take on the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Phoenix (8-4) has gone 4-0 this season against teams with losing records and will look to continue that streak against a Connecticut squad (2-9) coming off a rough night. The Sun dropped an 88-71 decision to the Indiana Fever on Tuesday in a game that ended with high tension and multiple ejections.

Connecticut’s Jacy Sheldon was ejected after receiving two technical fouls, while teammate Lindsay Allen and Phoenix’s Sophie Cunningham were also tossed following a scuffle with 46 seconds remaining. Cunningham was called for a flagrant-2 foul after pulling Sheldon to the ground during a layup attempt.

“When you’re losing by 17 points and commit a foul like that, it’s just disrespectful,” said Sun head coach Rachid Meziane. “I don’t understand why Jacy and Lindsay were ejected when they didn’t do anything.”

The Mercury are coming off a 76-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday. Satou Sabally led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Alyssa Thomas added 14 points and 13 assists. The Aces were without star A’ja Wilson, who is currently in concussion protocol.

“I think we looked good, we got a win, and we’ll keep getting better every day,” said Sabally, who’s averaging 20.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game this season.

Kahleah Copper returned from a preseason knee injury to score 11 points in her season debut. Sami Whitcomb provided a spark off the bench with 18 points, helping Phoenix outscore Las Vegas’s reserves 28-14.

Connecticut, meanwhile, has undergone major changes this season. The team replaced its entire starting lineup and lost head coach Stephanie White to the Fever. The growing pains have shown: the Sun currently rank last in the WNBA in both scoring (71.3 points per game) and rebounding (29.7).

“I thought this would happen,” veteran center Tina Charles said. “You have whole new players, a new coach, a new system. I knew there was going to be growing pains as a team and as coaches.”

—Field Level Media