PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Sarah Ashlee Barker and Bridget Carleton each scored 18 points, Sug Sutton scored a go-ahead basket with 22.6 seconds left, and the Portland Fire beat the Connecticut Sun 83-82 on Monday night.
Sutton drove into the lane and sank a floater for an 81-79 lead. Connecticut had two chances on its next possession before Carleton secured the rebound and was fouled. Carleton made two free throws with 9.7 left for a four-point lead.
Connecticut rookie Charlisse Leger-Walker made a 3-pointer with 1.9 left and Portland was called for an offensive foul to give the Sun another chance. But Aneesah Morrow’s heave from halfcourt was short at the buzzer.
Sutton finished with 12 points and Emily Engstler added 15 for Portland (2-2). Nyadiew Puoch scored 10.
Brittney Griner led Connecticut (0-5) with 16 points, one shy of reaching 6,000 for her career. Morrow, Hailey Van Lith and Aaliyah Edwards each added 12 and Leger-Walker scored 10.
Connecticut led 42-38 at halftime after holding Portland to just 13 points in the second quarter. The Sun shot 58% from the field, while Portland went 3 of 13 from 3-point range.
Connecticut’s Saniya Rivers went coast-to-coast at the end of the third for a jumper at the free-throw line, tying the game at 64.
The Sun finished 7 of 20 from 3-point distance, and 11 of 20 at the free-throw line.
Up next
Connecticut: Continues a five-game trip at Seattle on Wednesday.
Portland: At Indiana on Wednesday.
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