Marina Mabrey (No. 3) of the Connecticut Sun had another standout performance on Friday night against the New York Liberty. (Photo: Dayna Cass | The Podium Finish)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Marina Mabrey came within two assists of a triple‑double and delivered one of her strongest performances of the 2025 WNBA season as the Connecticut Sun defeated the New York Liberty, 78‑62, Friday night at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Mabrey finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, nearly achieving the rare feat as she anchored both ends of the floor in a commanding victory over the reigning champions. The game marked Connecticut’s first home win over New York since July 2022 and shifted momentum decisively in the Sun’s favor with the second half of the season well underway.
The 28‑year‑old guard has averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season for a young, growing Sun roster.
Her latest outing ranks among her most efficient and high‑impact on-court showings this year. A game earlier, she recorded 22 points, 8 boards and 6 assists in a loss to Seattle, and has cleared 15 points in multiple games.
Friday’s performance stood out not just for the numbers, but because Mabrey was the linchpin in Connecticut’s defensive identity—a theme she reiterated postgame.
Marina Mabrey and her Connecticut Sun teammates rarely backed down against the New York Liberty. (Photo: Dayna Cass | The Podium Finish)
“I think just the talk in the locker room has been that when we play great defense and we’re feisty and aggressive and we switch aggressively and we help each other out, we are a good team,” Mabrey said. “We can play up and down, and it gives us more confidence on the offensive end. So I know that we’re not consistent with it right now, but it’s consistently being talked about. So that’s all we can do. And just come in with an individual mindset of playing hard team defense.”
That defensive mindset was evident in Connecticut’s effort to erase a 48‑point loss to the Liberty earlier in the season, and Mabrey’s leadership helped spark the resurgence Friday. New York was forced into 23 turnovers— a season high—and outrebounded 42‑29, as Connecticut fed off stops and second‑chance opportunities.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with the Liberty threatening to rally from a 69‑62 deficit, Mabrey helped steady her squad. Following a timeout, she underscored the importance of sticking to the game plan.
“Yeah … just not relaxing,” she said. “I felt like we relaxed for a second … then coach called a timeout and reiterated what our intention is about team defense and understanding that our offense is not the greatest part of our team. So just understanding that defense is going to lead to easier buckets on offense for us, so we can never take a break defensively.”
The Sun then held New York scoreless over the final 5:02, turning quick stops into offensive bursts and sealing the upset. Connecticut outscored the Liberty 19‑7 in the fourth quarter and denied them any field goals down the stretch.
Mabrey praised the energy her veteran teammate Tina Charles injected during that run.
“We were laughing. It’s vintage Tina,” she said. “Tina is just a reliable source for us and someone we can always go to, especially when other teams are on a run. Knowing we can go to a horn set or a quick inside screen for Tina … she’s just a bucket.”
Her appreciation of teammate Leïla Lacan’s contribution was equally heartfelt, and Lacan’s own emergence freed up Mabrey to impact the defense more broadly.
Leïla Lacan (No. 47) earned the praises of Marina Mabrey for her quickly adapting to the WNBA style of play. (Photo: Dayna Cass | The Podium Finish)
“Leïla brings toughness and energy … she’s locking up on defense. She’s making people frustrated. Getting steals, putting pressure on the rim … she draws a lot of attention … always sees the extra pass and is very unselfish,” Mabrey said. “She’s easy to play with. And defensively she’s really helped her team step up.”
Mabrey also lauded Lacan’s consistency in the rotation.
“When Leïla comes out there, I know exactly what to expect… She brings a poise that a lot of young players don’t have. She’s only scratched the surface of what she can be in this league.”
Friday’s outing was far from a statistical outlier. Earlier in the 2025 season, she posted 34 points on 13-of-22 shooting in a win against Atlanta, logged 26 points in a May win over Indiana; and had 22 points twice, including at Minnesota and against Chicago.
Her consistency this season, both as scorer and facilitator, has been a marked improvement. From her 2024 averages of 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, Mabrey has been consistent this year while showing confidence and command in critical moments.
Marina Mabrey, alongside Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers, looks at the second half of the Connecticut Sun’s season as a new slate with her young teammates. (Photo: Dayna Cass | The Podium Finish)
Mabrey’s leadership seems to be rubbing off on her teammates. She emphasized staying grounded over the course of a long season.
“When you’re losing, distractions are easy … so locking in on what we can control, which is our defense and playing unselfish, is underrated… you’d be surprised what results come,” she said.
As the Sun sit 2–2 in the second half of the season, Mabrey has embraced accountability to reset her team’s trajectory. She has become the shot‑creator and floor general that head coach Rachid Meziane expects, and has defined her role through effort and clarity of purpose.
Sunday’s rematch with New York offers the perfect chance for Mabrey and the Sun to cement control of the season series and for Mabrey to chase that triple‑double.
In a season marked by roster turnover and shifting expectations, Mabrey has emerged as both a leader and the glue that anchors Connecticut’s identity. Friday night’s near triple‑double will join a growing ledger of performances that define her value: she brings toughness, smarts, and a mindset grounded in defense and unselfish play.
With a Sunday matinee on the horizon, Mabrey has set the bar high for herself, her teammates, and her coach.
