A record-breaking performance from Marina Mabrey, playing in her first postseason with the Connecticut Sun, helped the third-seeded Sun to a 93-69 win over sixth-seeded Indiana in Game 1 of the quarterfinals Sunday.

Mabrey scored 27 points off the bench, a WNBA record for the playoffs, connecting on 9-of-20 shots, including 5-of-12 from 3. But that might not have even been the most impressive performance Sunday, as Sun guard/forward Alyssa Thomas turned in her fourth career triple-double (12 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds) of the postseason.

Caitlin Clark finished with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting for the Fever, including 2-of-13 from 3. She also dished eight assists, and turned the ball over just twice. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 21 points, while Aliyah Boston added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

DeWanna Bonner chipped in 22 points as the Sun held Indiana to just 21.4% from 3 (6-of-28) in the statement win. The Sun’s bench outscored Indiana’s bench 41-15.

Game 2 is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., again at Connecticut. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Another ‘crappy game’ in Connecticut for Indiana Fever

Before the Indiana Fever took on the Connecticut Sun in round one of the WNBA playoffs, Caitlin Clark told reporters she hasn’t been very happy with the way she’s played in Mohegan Sun Arena.

That continued Sunday — by her own estimation at least — as she described Sunday’s loss as a “crappy game.”

“We were right there, I felt like we just played a crappy game,” Clark said afterward. “The flow was really bad, I don’t know if that was the reffing, it was probably partly us because we struggled to get stops at time(s), but also the clock getting messed up, it was just one thing after the next,” she said.

Numerous times during the first half the game clock was malfunctioning, causing stoppage in play and officials to head to the scorers’ table to try to fix the problem.

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Asked if there’s something particular about the Sun’s arena that she doesn’t like, Clark smiled.

“We can win,” she said. “It’s not anything about the building, it’s not about the gym, it’s not about the hoops. I have all the confidence in the world in this team, and everybody in our locker room does and I know we’ll be a lot better Wednesday.”

Connecticut is expecting the same, too. DeWanna Bonner guarded Clark the most Sunday — a change from the regular season, when Dijonai Carrington typically drew the assignment — and, according to ESPN, Clark shot just 2-of-9 with Bonner guarding her (Clark finished the game 4-of-17).

“I know the next game, she’s gonna come out firing,” Bonner said of Clark.

Game 1 highlights: Connecticut 93, Indiana 69

DeWanna Bonner on Alyssa Thomas: ‘Her time, every year‘

Alyssa Thomas is known for triple-doubles — she’s recorded 12 in her WNBA career — but what’s even more impressive, according to her teammates, is when those stuff-the-stat-sheet games come in the playoffs.

Thomas had the fourth postseason triple double of her career Sunday, a feat that the Connecticut Sun have come to expect.

“She kinda gets us in places we need to be. It’s great to have a player who can read the game the way she can. I just go where she tells me,” guard DeWanna Bonner said afterward, laughing. She added that for Thomas, the postseason is “her time, every year. I don’t expect anything less (than triple doubles).”

Marina Mabrey, who scored 27 points off the bench, also praised Thomas, saying that whenever they’re on the floor together, Thomas “always finds me.” That’s especially true when Mabrey gets hot from the perimeter, as she did Sunday, connecting on 5-of-12 3-point attempts.

Alyssa Thomas notches triple-double

Alyssa Thomas likes to pride herself on doing a little bit of everything for the Connecticut Sun. And Sunday, in her first game of the 2024 playoffs, Thomas did exactly that.

The veteran guard/forward recorded her fourth career triple-double of the postseason (and 12th overall in her career including regular season games) with 12 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

Earlier Sunday, the WNBA announced that Thomas had finished fifth in 2024 MVP voting — behind Caitlin Clark of the Fever. A’ja Wilson won her third MVP. Napheesa Collier finished second in voting and Breanna Stewart third.

Caitlin Clark sporting black eye

After getting inadvertently poked in the eye early in the first quarter by Dijonai Carrington, Caitlin Clark has the beginnings of a black eye.

No foul was called on the play. Clark was on the ground for a few minutes holding her eye, but she didn’t miss any time and returned to play immediately.