Connecticut Sun vs. Chicago Sky – WNBA Game Preview
The Connecticut Sun and the Chicago Sky will both be gunning for a win on Tuesday night when they meet at Allstate Arena. Sun would like to stretch their current winning streak to four games while Sky are seeking for their fifth
straight home victory.
In the last meeting on June 23, Chicago squeaked past Connecticut 107-101 in a double overtime fixture at Allstate Arena. Centre Sylvia Fowles stood out for the Sky that night, as she thumped a remarkable double-double with 24
points and 12 rebounds to help Chicago seal the victory. Epiphanny Prince was another prominent player in the victory as she scored 10 of her game-high 25 points in the second overtime.
Connecticut (9-5) entered All-Star weekend on a three-game winning streak and sat in second place in the Eastern conference – just two games behind first-place Indiana Fever. Connecticut have stepped up defensively during their
winning streak, holding opponents to 69.9 points per game on an average 40.9 percent shooting.
Their most recent success was an 85-79 victory over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night at Mohegan Sun Arena. Tina Charles scored a game-high 24 points, including eight in the crucial fourth quarter, grabbed a team-high seven
rebounds and blocked two shots. Charles went 11 for 20 from the field. Renee Montgomery was another bright spot in the victory. The 24-year-old guard recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game best 10 assists. Both players participated in the WNBA
All-Star game Saturday afternoon, with Charles adding 15 points and Montgomery posting 12 points in the victory of the Eastern Conference.
Sun coach Mike Thibault praised the brilliant performance of her team and said, “I would hope this game gives us the confidence and a mental image of how we are supposed to play,” “We were really good for long periods of the game
tonight.”
Connecticut is the lone team in the league undefeated at home (7-0) so far in this season. However, they have struggled to a 2-5 road record. Charles, the reigning rookie of the year, is the backbone of her team as she is averaging
21 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in the last two games.
Sky are 8-9 so far in this season and are standing at fourth in the East. They have lost three of their previous four games. In their last contest on July 21, the Indiana Fever beat them by 14-point margin, 77-63, at Conseco Fieldhouse.
They shot 40.7 and their biggest lead of the game was just two-point. Fowles punctuated a game best 21 points, shooting 9 for 11 from the field, in the loss.
Sky coach Pokey Chatman said at the end of defeat, “We are at the turning point where we need to grow up, step up, and recognize opportunities. It is mental to physical. We played like a young team.”
Fowles, who leads the league in scoring with an average of 20.6 points per game, is the biggest threat for Connecticut as she has been terrific against them. The 25-year-old has averaged 23.3 against Connecticut in their three
meetings in this season.
Tags: