Sun snap 5-game skid with an 85-83 win over the Caitlin Clark-less Fever

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marina Mabrey scored 15 of her 26 points in the third quarter, Tina Charles added 18 points and the Connecticut Sun snapped a five-game, season-opening losing streak with an 85-83 victory over the short-handed Indiana Fever on Friday night.

Indiana was without star Caitlin Clark, who missed her second game due to a strained left quad. Clark was injured while playing against New York on Saturday.

Connecticut led 74-59 early in the fourth quarter before the Fever stormed back and scored 16 straight points to take the lead.

Indiana, which hit only three of its first 12 3-point attempts, used a 19-2 run that was highlighted by three straight 3s for a 78-76 lead with 2:46 left.

The teams combined to make a 3-pointer on four consecutive possessions, with Lexie Hull's corner 3 pulling Indiana within 82-81. Mabrey answered with a jumper from the line for a three-point lead with 1:15 left.

Connecticut rookie Saniya Rivers went 1 of 2 at the line with 5.8 seconds left for an 85-83 lead. After a timeout, Kelsey Mitchell mishandled an inbounds pass and was well short on a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer with Charles defending.

Rivers finished with 12 points and six assists for Connecticut (1-5).

Aliyah Boston had 17 points, five rebounds and seven assists for Indiana (2-4). Mitchell and Bonner finished with 13 points apiece.

Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham was helped off the court with six minutes remaining in the fourth after appearing to injure her right ankle.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball