Bonner helps Sun dominate Atlanta for eighth straight win

DeWanna Bonner had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Sun to a 69-50 victory over Atlanta. (Photo provided by the Connecticut Sun)

DeWanna Bonner scored 18 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and had two blocks as the Connecticut Sun beat the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, 69-50 to remain undefeated with their eighth straight victory in Atlanta.

This is the best start in franchise history and only five other teams in league history have started the season with a better record. Minnesota holds the league record after winning its first 13 games of the season in 2016.

Bonner led the Sun in scoring in six of eight games this season.

Alyssa Thomas pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds and dished out 11 assists while scoring eight points. DiJonai Carrington had 15 points, four rebounds and an assist while Ty Harris had 13 points, including three three-pointers.

The Sun shot 42.4 percent from the floor, but held its opponent under 29 percent shooting for the second time in the last three games. Atlanta converted just 28.4 percent of its shots (19 of 67). On May 28, Connecticut held Phoenix to 23.8 percent shooting.

“I felt like our defensive energy and intensity, especially the last three quarters, was really good,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said. “A lot of credit goes to our players for their attention to detail and their intensity on the defensive side of the field.”

Tina Charles, the former UConn star who won MVP with the Sun earlier in her career, led Atlanta (4-3) with 12 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and a block.

Connecticut also pulled down a game-high 45 rebounds in the victory. The Sun beat the Dream, 45-33.

“We were able to win some close games,” White said. “We’re nowhere near where we should be in terms of how we’re playing on both ends of the floor. So we just focus on the next task at hand. This is a group that is very, very motivated by the current work.

“I also think we don’t care about the record. I mean, it’s a 40-game season,” Thomas said. “We have to play a lot of basketball. Right now it’s just about us and getting better every game.

The first quarter was back and forth, with two lead changes and six ties.

Connecticut used a 20-6 run in the second half to find some separation, taking a 12-point advantage into the break, 39-27.

The Sun led by 22 points in the third quarter, but the Dream managed to cut the advantage to 14, 57-43, heading into the fourth.

Connecticut will host Washington on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Connecticut 69, Atlanta 50
In Atlanta
Connecticut (69) Bonner 8-15, 0-2 18, Thomas 3-10, 2-4 8, Jones 4-7 1-2 9, Carrington 6-10 2-3 1, Harris 4-13, 2-2 13, Nelson Ododa 1-2 0-0 2, Mitchell 1-3 0-0 2, Jefferson 0-0 0-0 0, Banham 1-4 0-0 2, Egbo 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-66, 7 -13.69
Atlanta (50) Gray 3-11 2-2 9, Parker Tyus 2-5 0-0 4, Charles 5-18 2-2 ​​12, Howard 2-9 0-0 4, Jones 1-6 0-0 3, Coffey 1 -4 0-0 2, Dangerfield 1-4 0-0 2, Powers 2-8 2-2 ​​7, Hillmon 2-2 3-4 7, Amiher 0-0 0-2 0, Cubaj 0-0 0 -0 0. Totals 19-67 9-12, 50
Connecticut (8-0) 17 22 18 12 — 69
Atlanta (4-3) 17 10 16 7-50
Three-point objectives: Connecticut 6-18 (Bonner 2-4, Carrington 1-2, Harris 3-9, Mitchell 0-1, Banham 0-2); Atlanta 3-16 (Gray 1-3, Charles 0-1, Howard 0-5, Jones 1-1, Coffey 0-2, Dangerfield 0-2, Powers 1-2)