The Connecticut Sun have had a difficult 2025 season — there is no other way around it, but the good news is that they have managed to find some momentum in the latter portion of the year. With only four wins to their name entering the month of August, they have picked up seven since, putting together an 11-31 record, which should keep them out of last place among the WNBA teams this season.
The young prospects have been the center of attention as of late, with Leïla Lacan, Saniya Rivers, and Aneesah Morrow all having outstanding rookie campaigns. However, the veterans have also been contributing quite significantly, and that was seen during their matchup on Saturday against the Phoenix Mercury.
In a close 87-84 victory, two names stood out among the rest for the Sun during this tough and grueling matchup, those being veterans Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey. Both players would eclipse 20 points in the game, and combined, they accounted for more than half of the team’s scoring on the day, which is a rather impressive feat. Scoring was not all they contributed on the day, either, as both put together outstanding showings.
David Butler II-Imagn Images
In this victory over a strong Mercury squad, Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey both put together some truly impressive games. Charles would score 22 points on 8-15 shooting from the field, with 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three turnovers with only one personal foul.
As for Mabrey, she led the team with 23 points, shooting 8-16 from the field, with five rebounds, four assists, two steals, four turnovers and five personal fouls. Despite a 1-5 shooting performance from three-point range, she was able to contribute significantly to the team’s scoring, with another quality appearance from the veteran guard.
The @ConnecticutSun survive in the 4Q to defeat the Mercury, 87-84! Leïla Lacan (14 PTS) scored the last 6 PTS for the Sun to help them win a thriller 👏
Tina Charles: 22 PTS | 10 REB | 2 AST
Marina Mabrey: 23 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST #WelcometotheW
Postseason Push | @DraftKings pic.twitter.com/cg9aPCuXh1
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 6, 2025
With two games left in the 2025 season for Connecticut, they have two more opportunities to take on the Atlanta Dream, whom they are currently 1-2 against on the year, including a recent loss. It will be a good final chance to take on a competitive roster and test some of these young talents against a difficult opponent.
Overall, the season as a whole has not been a complete loss for the Sun, as despite a disappointing record, they have found some momentum heading into 2026, and have also identified which players they should look to retain long-term.