Liberty Defeats Connecticut Sun in Uncasville

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — During the fourth quarter of Liberty University’s 82-75 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Saturday, there was a brief moment when fans might have thought, “Could this slip away again?”

New York has a tendency to leave opponents in the game a bit too long.

When the Liberty manages to stay focused, though, they usually maintain their leads.

Despite Sabrina Ionescu being out due to a left foot injury, the Liberty had a chance to dominate against Connecticut, who were struggling at the bottom of the standings.

Nonetheless, it has been a rocky season for Liberty, marked by inconsistency.

In their last game against the Los Angeles Sparks, New York saw a surge where they conceded 40 points in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 27-19 to a Sun team with the league’s least productive offense.

New York managed to rally past a sluggish start largely due to Jonquel Jones, who scored a season-high 19 points in the first half.

At one point in the second half, Liberty held a 10-point advantage, but they never actually trailed. Still, the Sun attempted a comeback with a quick 5-0 run, narrowing New York’s lead with just over seven minutes left.

Then, Coach Chris DeMarco called a timeout, and things seemed to shift for the Liberty.

Marin Johannes made a wild three-pointer just before the shot clock expired, and moments later, she assisted Jones, who also hit a three.

Pauline Astier then scored, allowing Liberty to extend their lead to eight points. After that, Connecticut’s coach reached for a timeout, but New York held the momentum.

Johannes surprised everyone with another off-balance three-pointer, and she even tossed a remarkable pass to Rebecca Allen, whose shot pushed the score to 76-66.

It wasn’t a great night for Brianna Stewart; she missed her first seven shots, only scoring her first points with 2:32 left in the second quarter. Ultimately, she finished with nine points, four rebounds, and two assists.

This match marked the last time Liberty would compete at Mohegan Sun Arena, as the Sun plans to move to Houston next season.

Jones appeared more determined and focused on Saturday, perhaps with the knowledge that it was potentially her final game at this arena where her career began. After missing the Liberty’s first contest in Connecticut due to illness, she came back strong, leading the team with 23 points and 11 rebounds—her 15th double-double of the season.

Before the game, Jones was recognized on center court in a ceremony celebrating the team’s Sun Legends campaign, with her jersey added to the wall among other franchise legends like Alyssa Thomas, Tina Charles, and Curt Miller.

Now, with the win under their belt, one has to wonder: can Liberty maintain this momentum as the season winds down?