New York — Another game lost, the perpetually cheerful Jasmine Thomas was discussing the Connecticut Sun’s recent play.

“The energy is good,” Thomas said after Sunday’s 83-76 loss to the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden. “We feel better. We know that we have a chance in every game that we play.

“It just sucks when you come up short like this.”

Thomas paused for a moment and added, “Over-and-over again.”

It’s always something for Connecticut (6-16) this WNBA season, and Sunday’s issue was shooting. Or lack thereof. It shot a meager 33.8-percent, and that number nearly dropped below 30 at some points of the game.

The irony is that the Sun made their free throws. They averaged a league-worst 70-percent prior to the game. They made 23-of-26 (88.5-percent) as they were rewarded for going hard to the rim against the taller Liberty.

“It’s the way our year is going,” Connecticut head coach Curt Miller said. “We have an incredible night at the foul line. We’re aggressive enough to get to the foul line to have success. And then you can’t have the shooting percentage high enough in order to have some success.”

Give some credit to Eastern Conference-leading New York (17-7). They are among the WNBA’s tallest and longest teams, possessing enough bigs to make the late Pete Newell weep with joy.

“They’re the best defensive field goal percentage team (40.5) for a reason,” Miller said. “They have great length and they’re very physical, so that’s hard.

“You talk about that in your preparation, that they’re going to be physical with you. They’re going to be really aggressive around the rim. But you’ve got to step up and make shots. I’m frustrated for them.”

MVP candidate Tina Charles had 13 points and 10 rebounds for New York, which are among just four teams with winning records in the 12-team WNBA.

Swin Cash had 16 points and six rebounds for the Liberty and Sugar Rodgers scored 14.

Chiney Ogwumike scored a game-high 18 with 10 rebounds for the Sun and Thomas had 16 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals.

The Liberty led 61-53 with eight minutes, 45 seconds left in the game when Ogwumike paced a Sun run. She scored six points during an 11-4 run with her driving layup cutting Connecticut’s deficit to 65-64.

Thomas came up with a steal on the other end and drove the length of a floor to push the Sun ahead, 66-65, with 5:07 remaining.

Thomas then became a victim of (bad) circumstance. She grabbed the loose ball after Ogwumike blocked a shot by Brittany Boyd, but couldn’t get control of it with Kiah Stokes dogging her.

Stokes forced a jump ball. Stokes (6-foot-4) used her decisive height advantage to win the tip against Thomas (5-9).

The shot clock was just about to expire when Boyd hit a jumper. Thomas was also whistled for being. … perhaps too close to Boyd. Boyd made her free throw to give New York a 68-66 edge with 4:41 to play.

New York never trailed again.

“Once again, one of the really talented teams in the league, and we’re right there with four minutes to go in a one-possession game,” Miller said. “And we just can’t make enough plays down the stretch.”

n.griffen@theday.com