Mohegan — Courtney Williams was in a rough spot and freaking out.

Williams was a sophomore at South Florida when the woman she was involved with was alone with Williams' mother in her dorm room. The woman had said she was going to tell Williams' mother about their relationship.

There's no pressure, then, for the fearless Williams to ever take control of a game in a tight spot.

Williams scored the final six points for the Connecticut Sun on Friday night to give them a win they needed like an astronaut needs air, 91-87 over the second-place Phoenix Mercury before 7,696 at Mohegan Sun Arena.

"That's always been me," Williams said. "Fear nobody."

Connecticut (11-10) snapped a three-game losing streak with Williams helping to lead the way. She scored a team-high 25 with four assists and, at 5-foot-8, added 10 rebounds on Pride Night.

"She's got that swagger that as a coach you love," Sun coach Curt Miller said.

Williams needed that fearlessness when she walked into her dorm room and came out to her Michele Daniels, her mom.

"I'm thinking she already knows because she said, 'Tell me what's going on,'" Williams said. "I'm like, 'Me and her have been dating.'

"My mom was like, 'what?' And the girl I was (with) at the time started crying. Come to find out she didn't even tell my mom anything. I ended up telling on myself.

"My Mom just laughed at me, and then she called my dad (Donald Williams) and made me tell (him). He was like, 'as long as you give me grandbabies (it's good).' And that was that. He was like, 'Long as I still have some grandkids, you figure out how to give me some grandkids.' And we're all good."

Phoenix's Olympians, Diana Taurasi (28 points, seven rebounds, six assists) and Brittney Griner (19 points, six rebounds), keyed a fourth quarter run that cut into the Sun's 82-72 lead with 6 minutes, 14 seconds remaining.

The Mercury's Angel Robinson tied the game at 87 with a layup and 2:35 to play.

Alyssa Thomas was double-teamed by DeWanna Bonner and Griner to the left of the rim on Connecticut's next possession.

Williams raced towards the lane, took a pass from Thomas, and laid it up before Bonner (6-4) or Griner (6-9) could block for the go-ahead basket with 2:05 left.

"We kind of just feed off of her when she gets going," Thomas said. "It's fun to watch her when she's in a zone."

Williams had to atone for a late mistake when she threw a pass to Taurasi with 11.2 seconds left and the Sun led 89-87.

Taurasi, who had nailed 3-pointer after 3-pointer after 3-pointer, missed an eight-foot jumper. Williams grabbed the rebound, was fouled with 0.6 seconds left, and made both her free throws.

"When we needed it, she can go get you baskets," Miller said. "She rises to the moment."

Alyssa Thomas nearly had a triple-double for Connecticut. She had 11 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in her second game back after missing 10 straight games to a shoulder injury.

Chiney Ogwumike had 22 points and four rebounds before fouling out late for the Sun, and Jasmine Thomas had 14 points and four steals.

Bonner had 16 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals for Phoenix (14-8).

"It's disappointing (to lose), but look Connecticut played well," Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. "They are a hungry, desperate team, too, and they got Alyssa Thomas back, and Ogumike, and obviously Courtney Williams was handful for us."

Miller said, "Maybe the basketball gods helped us out and Taurasi missed one. (I'm) really proud of that locker room."

n.griffen@theday.com