Trying to play without a full deck doesn't get you far at a casino. But that's the hand the Connecticut Sun have been forced to play, beginning with the season-ending Achilles tendon injury that cost them Chiney Ogwumike.

Since then, the Sun have also had to deal with a number of other injuries, and in the case of guard Alex Bentley, a three-week sabbatical to play with the Belarus national team in the EuroBasket women's tournament.

Despite these shortcomings, the Sun have been playing well, their lopsided with over Atlanta on Saturday a fine example. And then on Wednesday, they scored the first basket of the game and never looked back on the way to a decisive 96-76 win over the New York Liberty at Mohegan Sun Arena.

The win snapped New York's nine-game winning streak against the Sun that dated to 2014.

"We are competing," Sun guard Courtney Williams said. "It doesn't matter who is in front of us."

The Sun (4-5) now hit the road again for three games, beginning Sunday at Minnesota. They do not return home again until June 27.

The Sun were again led by guard Courtney Williams, who scored 22 points with six rebounds. Center Jonquel Jones had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Alyssa Thomas had 18 points and Jasmine Thomas added 14 points and eight assists.

The Liberty (6-4) were led by Tina Charles, who scored 17 but was on the bench for most of the tail end of the fourth quarter and played only 26 minutes.

Along with Bentley, the Sun were again without Morgan Tuck (knee contusion) and Lynetta Kizer (back) and that threatened to put a serious crimp in the plan to deal with the Charles and Kiah Stokes. Tuck missed her fourth straight game. But Alyssa Thomas more than compensated with her fine work on Charles, the league's former MVP.

"Whoever coach calls out we're going to compete," Williams said. "It's tough being down three players, but those of us out there are going to play hard."

The Sun carried a 45-32 lead into the second half and managed to keep the Liberty at arm's length for most of the third quarter, matching baskets with every one the Liberty would score.

"We come out early and get opponents down and use that flow to take us through the rest of the game," Jones said.

And when the Liberty closed the gap to nine on a three-pointer by Charles, the Sun rolled off a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the night (74-56). A pair of three-pointers from Rachel Banham immediately increased the lead to 24.

The Liberty had been rolling, winners of their last four games on a five-game homestand before embarking on a trip where they will play six of their next seven games on the road.

Particularly spot on had been Charles, the former UConn All-American and Sun star who averaged 19.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in two games last week to collect her 23rd player of the week honor with a pair of double-doubles.

The Liberty were coming off a 94-86 victory over the Seattle Storm at Madison Square Garden. Charles scored 21 points with 14 rebounds.

Truth is, the Liberty have had their own personnel issues this season. They have been winning without Brittany Boyd (Achilles tendon) and Epiphanny Prince and Kia Vaughn, who are both attending to national team duty in the FIBA tournament.

The Sun started off quickly, taking a 9-2 lead, which increased to 12 when Jonquel Jones sank two free throws with 2:16 to play in the first quarter. Jasmine Thomas and Jones led the Sun with six points and Alyssa Thomas had five.

"I am really proud of our team tonight," Sun coach Curt Miller said. "Our great start set the tone. We were fast out of the gate. Our defense really made them work. We stayed in attack mode. They are excited. I'm really pleased with the way we've played our last five games and I want to keep the momentum going."

Williams scored 15 points in the first half and it was her three with 7:15 to play in the half that staked the Sun to their biggest lead of the half, 35-20. They eventually headed to the half with a 45-32 lead.

Link:

Connecticut Sun Defeat New York Liberty, 96-76 - Hartford Courant - Hartford Courant