DeWanna Bonner lifts Sun to series-opening win vs. Liberty

DeWanna Bonner scored 20 points and Rebecca Allen added 18 as the Connecticut Sun stole Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with a 78-63 victory over the host New York Liberty on Sunday.

Allen made four 3-pointers and finished 7 of 9 overall from the floor to pace the Sun, who had lost all four regular-season meetings against the Liberty.

Tiffany Hayes and Natisha Hiedeman scored 12 points apiece for Connecticut, which visits New York in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 19 points while Jonquel Jones recorded a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu added 12 points for New York, which struggled in the second half after leading 40-37 at halftime.

Connecticut opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run, ignited by a 3-pointer from Hiedeman in the corner that tied the game at 40-40.

The Sun led 46-40 before the Liberty scored their first points of the quarter off a layup by Stewart. Hiedeman answered with a 3-pointer for a 49-42 lead.

Hayes gave Connecticut its first double-digit lead of the day at the 5:39 mark, driving hard into the lane for a layup and a 53-42 advantage.

New York was within 56-51 with 2:48 left in the third but two free throws by Bonner and a 3-pointer from Allen gave the Sun a 65-55 lead heading into the fourth.

The Sun led 25-21 after one and were up by as many as nine (23-14) in the quarter.

The Liberty battled back and closed the half on a 10-2 run fueled by Stewart, who knocked down a running jumper in the lane with 2.6 seconds left to give New York a 40-37 edge.

Stewart also stepped up defensively, blocking two shot attempts by Alyssa Thomas in the final seconds of the half.