By The Associated Press

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 24 points and came up big in overtime with a jumper, an assist and a key defensive rebound, and the Connecticut Sun beat the Sacramento Monarchs 77-70 Thursday night to tie the WNBA Finals at one game each.

McWilliams-Franklin’s wide-open jumper in the extra period was all the Sun needed as they held Sacramento scoreless in overtime.

Game 3 is Sunday in Sacramento.

Nykesha Sales finished with 19 points and Katie Douglas added 16 for the Sun, who were playing without point guard Lindsay Whalen, sidelined by an ankle injury.

Connecticut’s Brooke Wyckoff hit a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 70.

Yolanda Griffith and Nicole Powell each scored 16 points for Sacramento, and DeMya Walker had 14 points.

Whalen’s absence did little to slow the Sun, who matched the Monarchs’ up-tempo play in the first half.

McWilliams-Franklin scored the first nine points for Connecticut, which led by as many as seven midway through an opening period marked by scoring runs for both teams.

The Monarchs countered with a 13-3 outburst, largely on transition buckets. Kara Lawson’s pull-up jumper with 9:57 left in the first half gave the Monarchs their first lead, 22-19, but it didn’t last long.

Katie Douglas hit a jumper to kick off a 10-0 Connecticut run that featured a couple of key defensive stops from Margo Dydek.

Griffith rallied the Monarchs with six points and a steal, and Sacramento led 39-38 at the half.

AP-ES-09-15-05 2242EDT