The Connecticut Sun are off to a ripping start in the 2024 WNBA season — 8-0 and outscoring opponents by an average of 13.3 points per 100 possessions. They have the defensive efficiency in the league by a huge margin and rank in the top four in offensive efficiency as well.
Alyssa Thomas is making a strong run at both WNBA MVP and becoming the first player in league history to average a triple-double for a full season, currently averaging 13.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game. DeWanna Bonner has been terrific, leading the team in scoring. Tyasha Harris is bombing away from outside, Brionna Jones is creating steals and DiJonai Carrington is playing suffocating defense on the perimeter.
Only six teams before the Sun have started a season 8-0 and all of them made the WNBA Finals. Three teams started a season 9-0, the Lynx made it to 10-0 in 2012, the Sparks went to 11-0 in 2016 and the Lynx set the record that same year with a 13-0 start.
While they're on a historic trajectory, the Sun haven't yet played the Liberty or the Aces, who met in the WNBA Finals last season. They've played the Minnesota Lynx, who are off to a 4-2 start, just once and it resulted in their toughest test yet — a one-point overtime win.
With the Sun schedule only about to get tougher we're projecting how much longer they'll be able to stay unbeaten.
Connecticut Sun upcoming schedule with win predictions
DATE | OPPONENT | PREDICTION |
|---|---|---|
June 4 | Mystics | Win |
June 8 | Liberty | Win |
June 10 | Fever | Win |
June 12 | @ Sky | Win |
June 15 | @ Wings | Win |
June 18 | Sparks | Win |
June 21 | @ Aces | Loss |
June 23 | @ Storm | Loss |
The Sun have some tough matchups over their next eight games, but plenty of easier ones as well. Their next three games are at home and five of their next six games are against teams in the bottom five of the WNBA standings. The first matchup with the Liberty on June 8 will be a touch matchup but it's at home and the Sun won't just be looking to keep their streak going, they'll also be looking for revenge for last year's postseason, where the Liberty knocked them out in the second round.
I'm going out on a limb here and predicting that the Sun beat the Liberty and stay unbeaten until the meet the Aces on the road on June 21. That's the beginning of a stretch of six games with five on the road and three against other top-five teams — the Aces, Storm and Lynx. I think that's the place the Sun lose the streak and the top of the standings begin to tighten.
If the do Sun do hold their streak until then they'd have won 14 games in a row and have set the all time record for consecutive wins to begin a season.