2019 Connecticut Sun season

The 2019 WNBA season was the 21st season for the Connecticut Sun franchise of the WNBA. It was also the 17th season for the franchise in Connecticut. The team opened the season on May 25 versus the Washington Mystics.[1]

2019 Connecticut Sun season
CoachCurt Miller
ArenaMohegan Sun Arena
Attendance6,841 per game
Results
Record23–11 (.676)
Place2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finish2nd seed; lost in WNBA Finals to Washington Mystics 2-3
Team Leaders
PointsJonquel Jones – 14.6 ppg
ReboundsJonquel Jones – 9.7 rpg
AssistsJasmine Thomas – 5.1 apg
Media
TelevisionNESN

The Sun started the season well, posting a 9–4 record through the end of June. They were especially strong at home, going 6–0 over the first two months of the season. The end of June into the beginning of July proved to be a rough patch for the team. They lost five straight games from June 23 to July 10. This stretch included one of only two home losses on the season. After this losing streak, the Sun went on a seven game winning streak that lasted from July 12 to August 4. The Sun's final record in July was 5–2. The Sun didn't lose in August and posted an 8–3 record. The Sun's other home loss came on September 6 as the team closed out the season 1–2 in September. The Sun clinched a playoff berth on August 18, and their final 23–11 record earned them the second seed in the playoffs.

As the second seed, the Sun earned a bye through to the Semifinals. There, they met the #3 seed Los Angeles Sparks. The Sun proved to be too much for the Sparks, sweeping them three games to none. They advanced to the finals where they faced off against the #1 seed Washington Mystics. In a tightly contested finals, the Sun ultimately came up short, losing two games to three.

Transactions

WNBA Draft
See also: 2019 WNBA Draft

The Sun made the following selections in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 9 Kristine Anigwe  United States California
2 21 Bridget Carleton  Canada Iowa State
3 33 Regan Magarity  Sweden Virginia Tech

Trades/Roster Changes
Date Details
February 7, 2019 Re-signed G Jasmine Thomas[2][3]
February 27, 2019 Signed F Ariel Edwards to Training Camp Contract[4]
March 22, 2019 Signed G Brianna Kiesel to Training Camp Contract[5]
April 10, 2019 Traded G Lexie Brown to Minnesota in exchange for G Natisha Hiedeman.[6]
April 11, 2019 Signed F Emma Cannon to Training Camp Contract[7]
April 27, 2019 Traded F Chiney Ogwumike to Sparks in exchange for the Spark's first round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft[8]
May 7, 2019 Waived F Ariel Edwards and G Brianna Kiesel[9]
August 6, 2019 Traded C/F Kristine Anigwe to Dallas Wings for C/F Theresa Plaisance[10]

Current roster
Connecticut Sun roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
G 1 Banham, Rachel 5' 9" (1.75m) 168 lb (76kg) 07-15-1993 Minnesota 3
G 23 Clarendon, Layshia 5' 9" (1.75m) 158 lb (72kg) 05-02-1991 California 6
G 2 Hiedeman, Natisha 5' 7" (1.7m) 125 lb (57kg) 02-10-1997 Marquette R
G 32 Holmes, Bria 6' 1" (1.85m) 170 lb (77kg) 04-19-1994 West Virginia 2
F/C 35 Jones, Jonquel 6' 6" (1.98m) 190 lb (86kg) 01-05-1994 George Washington 3
F 42 Jones, Brionna 6' 3" (1.91m) 230 lb (104kg) 12-18-1995 Maryland 2
F/C 55 Plaisance, Theresa 6' 5" (1.96m) 200 lb (91kg) 05-18-1992 LSU 5
G/F 40 Stricklen, Shekinna 6' 2" (1.88m) 178 lb (81kg) 07-30-1990 Tennessee 7
F 25 Thomas, Alyssa 6' 2" (1.88m) 185 lb (84kg) 04-12-1992 Maryland 5
G 5 Thomas, Jasmine 5' 9" (1.75m) 145 lb (66kg) 09-30-1989 Duke 8
F 33 Tuck, Morgan 6' 2" (1.88m) 200 lb (91kg) 04-30-1994 Connecticut 3
G 10 Williams, Courtney 5' 8" (1.73m) 136 lb (62kg) 05-11-1994 South Florida 3



East: ATL • CHI • CON • IND • NY • WAS | West: DAL • LV • LA • MIN • PHO • SEA
Head coach
Curt Miller (Baldwin Wallace)
Assistant coaches
Brandi Poole
Chris Koclanes



Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

WNBA roster page

Game log

Preseason
2019 pre-season game log
May: 2–1 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–0)
2019 pre-season schedule

Regular season
2019 game log
Total: 23–11 (Home: 15–2; Road: 8–9)
May: 2–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–1)
June : 7–3 (Home: 4–0; Road: 3–3)
July : 5–2 (Home: 4–1; Road: 1–1)
August : 8–3 (Home: 4–0; Road: 4–3)
September : 1–2 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–1)
2019 season schedule

Playoffs
2019 playoff game log
Total: 5–3 (Home: 3–1; Road: 2–2)
Semifinals: 3–0 (Home: 2–0; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 September 17 Los Angeles Sparks W 84–75 A. Thomas (22) A. Thomas (10) J. Thomas (8) Mohegan Sun Arena
7,102		 1–0
2 September 19 Los Angeles Sparks W 94–68 J. Jones (27) Tied (13) J. Thomas (7) Mohegan Sun Arena
8,051		 2–0
3 September 22 @ Los Angeles Sparks W 78–56 J. Thomas (29) Williams (13) A. Thomas (6) Walter Pyramid
4,000		 3–0
WNBA Finals: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
2019 playoff schedule

Standings
# Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Washington Mystics (1)268.765–14–312–513–3
2 Connecticut Sun (2)2311.676315–28–911–5
3 Chicago Sky (5)2014.588612–58–911–5
4 e –Indiana Fever1321.382137–106–117–9
5 e –New York Liberty1024.294164–136–113–13
6 e –Atlanta Dream826.235185–123–143–13

Playoffs
 
First round:
Single elimination
(Sept. 11)		Second round:
Single elimination
(Sept. 15)		Semifinals:
Best-of-five
(Sept. 17 – Sept. 24)		WNBA Finals:
Best-of-five
(Sept. 29 – Oct. 10)
 
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
Washington Mystics		 3
 
 
4
Las Vegas Aces 		1
 
 
 
 
 
4
Las Vegas Aces		 93
 
 
 
5
Chicago Sky		 92
 
5
Chicago Sky		 105
 
 
 
8
Phoenix Mercury		 76
 
1
Washington Mystics 		3
 
 
 
2
Connecticut Sun 		2
 
6
Seattle Storm		 84
 
 
 
7
Minnesota Lynx		 74
 
3
Los Angeles Sparks		 92
 
 
6
Seattle Storm		 69
 
 
 
 
 
2
Connecticut Sun		 3
 
 
3
Los Angeles Sparks		 0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

Semifinals
Team1234
1
Washington Mystics		971037594
4
Las Vegas Aces		95919290
Team123
2
Connecticut Sun		849478
3
Los Angeles Sparks		756856
WNBA Finals
Team12345
1
Washington Mystics		9587948689
2
Connecticut Sun		8699819078

Statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Regular season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Jonquel Jones 34 34 28.8 44.8 30.9 81.8 9.7 1.5 1.3 2.0 14.6
Courtney Williams 34 34 29.1 43.5 45.7 80.0 5.6 3.8 1.4 0.4 13.2
Alyssa Thomas 34 34 30.2 50.5 0 49.6 7.8 3.1 1.9 0.4 11.6
Jasmine Thomas 34 34 29.7 39.2 36.6 80.0 2.9 5.1 1.4 0.1 11.1
Shekinna Stricklen 34 34 23.7 40.8 38.2 81.5 1.9 1.1 1.0 0.2 9.0
Bria Holmes 34 0 15.6 39.9 31.7 67.2 1.4 0.9 0.5 0.2 6.3
Layshia Clarendon 9 0 15.3 41.9 100 85.7 2.4 2.1 0.3 0 6.2
Morgan Tuck 33 0 10.7 38.8 35.7 60.0 2.0 0.8 0.4 0.1 3.7
Natisha Hiedeman 20 0 10.3 41.4 46.4 50.0 1.5 1.9 0.4 0.1 3.7
Rachel Banham 29 0 12.2 32.2 30.6 69.2 1.0 0.9 0.3 0.1 3.6
Brionna Jones 27 0 8.4 46.7 0 66.7 2.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 3.5
Theresa Plaisance 9 0 7.1 34.8 33.3 100 1.8 0 0.3 0.2 2.4

Awards and honors
Recipient Award Date awarded Ref.
Jonquel Jones WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week June 3, 2019 [11]
June 10, 2019 [12]
June 17, 2019 [13]
July 15, 2019 [14]
Alyssa Thomas WNBA All-Star Selection July 15, 2019 [15]
Jonquel Jones
Courtney Williams WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week September 3, 2019 [16]
Jonquel Jones Peak Performer: Rebounds September 9, 2019 [17]

References
  1. "2019 Connecticut Sun Schedule". Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  2. "Sun Re-Sign Jasmine Thomas". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  3. Griffen, Ned (February 7, 2019). "Jasmine Thomas re-signs with Sun". theday.com. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  4. "Sun Sign Ariel Edwards". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. February 27, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  5. "Sun Sign Brianna Kiesel". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  6. "WNBA Draft: Lynx bring in Shepard, Dillard, Bell, trade for Brown". FOX Sports. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  7. "Sun Sign Emma Cannon". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  8. "Sparks Acquire 2014 No. 1 Overall Pick Chiney Ogwumike". wnba.com. WNBA. April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  9. "Sun Waive Kiesel And Edwards". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  10. "Wings Acquire Kristine Anigwe from Sun for Theresa Plaisance". wnba.com. WNBA. August 6, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  11. "Jonquel Jones, Natasha Howard Named WNBA Players of the Week". wnba.com. WNBA. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  12. "Jonquel Jones, DeWanna Bonner Player Of The Week Highlights". wnba.com. WNBA. June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  13. "Jonquel Jones, Natasha Howard Win Player of the Week". wnba.com. WNBA. June 17, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  14. @WNBA (July 15, 2019). "🗣️ Congrats to Jonquel Jones and @Nnemkadi30 for earning this week's #PlayeroftheWeek 👏" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. "Seven-Time Selection Charles, Dupree, Highlight Reserves For All-Star". wnba.com. WNBA. July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  16. "Connecticut's Williams, Phoenix's Griner Win Players of the Week". wnba.com. WNBA. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  17. "Phoenix's Griner, Connecticut's Jones and Chicago's Vandersloot Earn 2019 WNBA Peak Performer Awards". wnba.com. WNBA. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
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