The Connecticut Sun enjoyed one of their best games of the season on Saturday night, an 82-65 rout of the New York Liberty.

And on the seventh day, the Sun rested. For the next two days.

"We have a boat (trip)," Connecticut's Briann January said about the team's plans. "We're going to get off campus and on the water for a few hours. That should be fun, just to have a change in scenery."

Connecticut (6-8) has won six of its last nine games. The Sun will return to practice Tuesday before playing Wednesday against the Phoenix Mercury. It is their longest break between games so far during the abbreviated WNBA season.

Every team will play 22 games in less than 50 days in the bubble at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The Sun will play a league-leading 18 games on one day's rest.

"I'm definitely looking forward to (the break)," Connecticut's Jasmine Thomas said. "We have worked hard for these days (off). We deserve them."

Sun head coach Curt Miller deadpanned, "I might be asleep before we even get (to the hotel) on the bus. I'm exhausted. I know these guys are exhausted."

Alyssa Thomas made her first five shots and scored 10 of her game-high 25 in the first quarter for Connecticut. She added five rebounds and two steals.

DeWanna Bonner had a game-high 12 rebounds with 14 points, six assists and two blocks, Jasmine Thomas 16 points, five assists and three steals and January 11 points, four assists and two steals for the Sun.

UConn's Kia Nurse had 17 points and four assists for New York (1-12) and former Sun Layshia Clarendon scored 12.

Connecticut held the Liberty to 37% shooting (20 of 54).

New York is well into a rebuild as it has six rookies on its 12-woman roster. That doesn't include rookie point guard Sabrina Ionescu, the top pick in April's WNBA Draft. She suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain in the team's third game of the season on July 31 and hasn't played since.

Connecticut led 45-38 at halftime with Alyssa and Jasmine Thomas shouldering the offense. The two combined to shoot 14 of 21 in the first half for 31 points.

The Sun began to pull away midway through the third quarter. They took a 53-43 lead on Jones' layup with 6 minutes, 26 seconds left in the quarter and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game.

Bonner's 21-foot runner gave Connecticut its largest lead, 73-52, with 6:30 remaining in the game.

"We finally get to take a deep breath," Miller said. "Now we get to regroup."

n.griffen@theday.com