Duke in the WNBA: Thomas' assist leads to Connecticut buzzer-beater

With the 2018 WNBA season in full swing, the Blue Zone takes a look at the eight former Blue Devils currently playing across five WNBA teams in the league's third week of games for the year.

Alana Beard and Chelsea Gray, Los Angeles Sparks

Chelsea Gray has followed up her All-Star campaign from a season ago with another impressive output. The 5-foot-11 point guard scored 15 points June 3 in a 77-69 victory against the Minnesota Lynx. Gray once again finished the game with at least five assists. The former Blue Devils’ six assists lead the Sparks on the night en route to their fourth victory of the season. Gray connected on six of her 11 shot attempts and only one of a pair of triples to go along with four rebounds and a steal. Alongside Gray was Alana Beard who had a successful game on hardwood. Beard was 4-of-6 from the field and added a free throw for a season-high nine points. The veteran also notched a season-high three assists in 35 minutes, the second most for Los Angeles, while picking up one steal and a rebound.

Gray had her lowest-scoring game of the season Thursday night in an 88-63 blowout loss to the Seattle Storm. She scored eight points and had five turnovers but finished the game with four steals and a pair of assists. Gray also registered two rebounds. Beard scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting and one rebound in 19 minutes.

Upcoming: June 10 v. Chicago Sky; June 12 v. Atlanta Dream

Lexie Brown and Jasmine Thomas, Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun are off to its best start in franchise history. On the first day of June, the Sun blew out the Chicago Sky 110-72 on the road to continue its undefeated season. On the night, Jasmine Thomas dropped in nine points on 3-of-8 shooting with a pair of free throws. The former Blue Devil finished with six rebounds—five of which came on the defensive end—and five assists. Lexie Brown made one 3-pointer and grabbed three rebounds while registering one assist.

In the team’s next game two days later, Thomas put up her best performance all-season long with 25 points on 10-of-17 from the field. The 5-foot-9 guard connected on four triples in seven tries while picking up four rebounds and three assists. Thomas also registered one block in 29 minutes of action. In Brown’s six minutes, the recent Duke graduate connected on one of her three attempts from long range in Connecticut’s 88-64 victory against the Washington Mystic.

Connecticut did not get out to a great start Thursday night against the New York Liberty, but it did not let a double-digit Liberty first half lead go down as a second loss in a row. Brown was substituted into the game for Thomas at the point guard position and drained a triple and registered an assist in four minutes of action. After a rough shooting night the game before, Thomas scored 19 on 7-of-16 shooting and 2-of-6 from long range including a layup to give the Sun a lead late in the fourth quarter. That basket came only minutes after Thomas had to be carried off the floor on the back of teammate Alyssa Thomas.

Down two points with less than five seconds remaining, Thomas drove right on her defender in the paint. Instead of going up for a game-tying layup, she passed the ball to the corner for a Shekinna Stricklen 3-pointer. Stricklen knocked down the game winner and was fouled off Thomas’ eighth assist for the 88-86 win.

Upcoming: June 9 v. Minnesota Lynx; June 13 v. Washington Mystic

Monique Currie and Krystal Thomas, Washington Mystics

Monique Currie had her best game of the season to date June 1 in an 85-73 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. That victory marked the Aces first win in franchise history behind 26 points and 12 rebounds from former South Carolina star A’ja Wilson. In the game, Currie scored a team-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds. The former Blue Devil added a pair of assists and blocks while shooting 11-of-14 from the charity stripe. Krystal Thomas missed all four shot attempts and finished with only one made free throw and two rebounds in 21 minutes.

In the next game June 3, Currie scored 10 points on 4-of-13 from the field and brought down five rebounds. The 6-foot forward added an assist and a pair from the free throw line. Thomas picked up six rebounds and an assist in a two-point scoring night. She split her two field goal attempts in the Mystics’ 88-64 defeat at the hands of the Sun.

After suffering losses in three of the previous four outings, the Mystics were looking get back in the win column. But Washington was on the wrong side of the score in an 88-80 loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Currie registered eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and a pair of free throws. Thomas was held scoreless in four minutes on the floor after missing the only shot she took. Elena Delle Donne returned to the Mystics lineup after a four-game absence.

Washington moved up the start time of the game to 4 p.m. from 7 p.m. due to the Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Finals Game 4 later that night. Capital fans packed the arena for the Mystics game as well, giving the Capital One Arena a sell-out.

Upcoming: June 13 at Connecticut Sun

Elizabeth Williams, Atlanta Dream

Elizabeth Williams finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting in the Atlanta Dream's 78-71 loss to the Phoenix Mercury June 3. The 2017 All-Star brought down four rebounds and registered a season-high three blocks along with one assist. Williams made half of her six free throws in 25 minutes of action.

Two days later, the Dream were back in action against the Sun, who were undefeated entering the game. Williams notched four points, three rebounds and a block in the 82-77 victory. The 6-foot-3 center went 2-for-8 from the field and missed two free throws.

Upcoming: June 8 at Las Vegas Aces; June 10 at Seattle Storm; June 12 at Los Angeles Sparks

Karima Christmas-Kelly, Dallas Wings

The Dallas Wings entered their June 2 meeting with the Seattle Storm in a pattern. Starting in their first game, the Wings have alternated winning and losing in their first five games. According to that pattern, Dallas was in line for the victory, but were playing a team that won five in a row entering the game. However, Karima Christmas-Kelly’s perfect shooting on four attempts from the free throw line and a basket helped the Wings earn the 94-90 victory. The 6-foot forward grabbed five rebounds, with four coming on the defensive end.

Upcoming: June 8 at Indiana Fever; June 12 v. Phoenix Mercury