Liberty down Sun to secure top overall playoff seed

Updated: Sep 9, 2016, 09:50 pm

NEW YORK -- Epiphanny Prince had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the New York Liberty beat the Connecticut Sun 74-64 on Wednesday night to secure the top overall seed in the WNBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

New York, which is 23-9, also set a team record for wins.

The Liberty held a 49-32 lead midway through the third quarter, but made only four free throws over the next five minutes. Connecticut closed on a 9-0 run, capped by Chelsea Gray's 3-pointer, to pull to 53-48. But New York extended its lead to 65-54 with 5:28 remaining on Tanisha Wright's layup.

Tina Charles added 16 points and 13 rebounds for New York. She moved past Tammy Sutton-Brown into 17th place on the WNBA's career rebounding list with 2,011.

Kelsey Bone scored 19 points for Connecticut (14-19). The Sun were swept in the season series for the first time since 1999.