Sun drops 83-82 to Portland in Monday night thriller

PORTLAND, OREGON – MAY 18: Center Brittney Griner #42 of the Connecticut Sun looks for an opening in the first half against the Portland Fire at Moda Center on May 18, 2026, in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

The Connecticut Sun (0-5) fell 83-82 to the Portland Fire (2-1) inside the Moda Center.

Brittney Griner led the Sun in scoring, matching her season high with 16 points. Charlisse Leger-Walker notched the second 10-point game of her career off the bench, while Aaliyah Edwards and Hailey Van Lith logged 12 points respectively. Aneesah Morrow grabbed her fourth straight double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Portland opened the scoring column first, with Nyadiew Puoch quickly picking up two in the paint. Griner got the action started for the Sun in the paint to tie the score. A block by Griner led to back-to-back action for Edwards, including four points and one steal. Coming off the bench, Morrow worked inside the paint, easily grabbing an offensive rebound and converting the second-chance opportunity. Both teams traded shots with Sarah Ashlee Barker and Raegan Beers working down low, and Barker and Diamond Miller expanding their range from deep. Connecticut led 24-22 with under a minute remaining, but a foul on Puoch sent the forward to the charity stripe for an and-one opportunity, where she gave the Fire a one-point lead to close the first frame.

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The second quarter started off with Nell Angloma at the free-throw line after a shooting foul was called on Serah Williams. Luisa Geiselsoder and Williams added two points apiece to extend the Fire’s lead 29-25. Saniya Rivers brought the Sun within two with a pull-up jumper, but Sug Sutton responded with one of her own to push the Fire away 31-27. Both squads began to find a better offensive flow, going shot for shot, but it was Connecticut that shifted the momentum with Morrow knocking down a 24’ three, giving the Sun the 35-33 lead. Connecticut’s defense was on full display, with Kennedy Burke and Edwards snagging one steal each and Morrow working on the boards with one block in the quarter. The lead for the Sun grew after Burke dished out a corner pass to Van Lith that ended in a successful shot from deep for the second-year player. Connecticut led 42-38 at the half with Morrow leading the scorers with 10 points, recording her fifth consecutive double-digit outing.

Puoch found herself at the foul line for the second time this contest after Miller picked up her fourth personal foul at the start of the third. Coming out of the half, both teams were plagued by turnovers and missed shots, but it quickly became a back-and-forth battle once they settled back into action. Griner, only nine points away from 6,000 career points, pushed the Sun out in front 46-43, but Bridget Carleton evened things up with a 24’ pullup three. Despite the response from the Fire, Edwards regained Connecticut’s lead, converting her chance at the line into a three-point play. The matchup quickly started to favor the Fire with a steal fromBarker turning into two points for the Alabama alum. With under five minutes remaining in the quarter, Leger-Walker, Gianna Kneepkens, and Carleton knocked down shots from beyond the arc. The Sun held a seven-point 60-53 lead until Emily Engstler and Sutton combined for six points, cutting into the lead 60-59. A turnover from Leger-Walker led to a three-pointer from Barker, tilting the momentum to the Fire once again as they took the lead 62-60. Down the stretch, Geiselsoder recorded her third foul of the night as Griner went 2-for-2 at the line, tying the game at 62-62. A late foul brought Sutton to the line, where she gave the Fire the 64-62 lead, but a push from Rivers leveled the game at 64-64.

Defense was the name of the game in the fourth, with both teams going scoreless for two minutes before Sutton got the Fire started with a floater. Rivers and Leger-Walker started the Sun’s offense with Rivers chipping in two and Leger-Walker knocking down another shot from the three-point line, maintaining the 69-66 lead. The contest entered a scoring drought, with the only shots coming from the charity stripe for Connecticut and Portland. Leveled at 71-71 after a Barker layup, Griner answered, putting the Sun in front 73-71. Neither team could pull away, but the Fire quickly took a 79-75 lead with Barker and Engstler at the helm. Cutting down to the final seconds, Van Lith brought the Sun within two of a road victory, working in the paint and tying the game 79-79. Under 30 seconds remaining, Sutton solidified the 83-82 win for the Fire as the Sun remain in search of the first win of the season.

Notes

The Sun bench outscored the Fire 39-26.
Morrow recorded her fifth consecutive double-digit performance and fourth consecutive double-double of the season.
Griner matched her season high with 16 points, also putting her one point away from her 6000th career point.

Team	Score	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	PTS	REB	AST
CON	82	24	18	22	18	Griner – 16	Morrow – 12	Rivers – 6
PDX	83	25	13	26	19	Carleton, Barker – 18	Carleton, Williams – 5	Sutton – 5

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