Preview: Sun (12-17) at Sky (18-11)
Date: August 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT
The Connecticut Sun team that beat the Chicago Sky back in June is far different than the one that will be trying to avoid its eighth straight defeat Sunday night.
Chicago has recorded two wins over the last-place Sun since then, and it will be seeking to match a season high with a fourth straight victory.
Connecticut (12-17) has played all season without last year's rookie of the year Chiney Ogwumike due to injury, but it started by winning seven of its first eight to take the early lead in the Eastern Conference.
The Sun, who beat Chicago (18-11) on June 11 in that stretch, lost 16 of 21 since their early run and are in the midst of their second losing streak of at least six games. Kelsey Bone scored 22 points Saturday in an 80-66 home loss to East-leading New York as Connecticut dropped its seventh straight.
"We just wanted to make it a game," Bone said. "We tried to do some things differently. We focused a little more on defense. We gave up 43 points in the first half, so we wanted to buckle down on defense."
Other injuries have hurt Connecticut, too. Alex Bentley, who scored 25 points in a 77-74 loss to the Sky on July 2, has sat out the last four with an ankle injury. Elizabeth Williams has missed seven straight with a knee issue and Alyssa Thomas has been out the last six because of a shoulder injury.
Williams said she's not expecting to play in any of the remaining five games, and coach Anne Donovan isn't sure if Bentley or Thomas will be able to suit up again either.
Chicago clinched a third straight playoff berth with Saturday's 98-96 win over Atlanta despite not having star Elena Delle Donne, who sat out with a foot injury. Cappie Pondexter, who scored a season-high 29 points in a 96-76 win over the Sun in the last meeting July 12, finished with 22 as the Sky won a third straight game.
Chicago sits in second place in the East, 2 1/2 games back of the Liberty and one-half game ahead of Indiana.
With a postseason spot secured, it's unclear if Chicago will risk playing Delle Donne, the league's leading scorer at 23.9 points per game, in this contest. Delle Donne scored 27 points in the first meeting with the Sun but was held to 12 in each of the next two, which were part of the Sky's season high four-game winning streak from July 2-15.
These teams close out the regular season in Connecticut on Sept. 13.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jul 12, 2015 Score ATS Results
CONN 76 Over: 172
CHI « 96 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps
Jul 2, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI « 77 Under: 151
CONN 74 Cover: 1.5
Tools: Recaps
Jun 11, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI 65 Under: 132
CONN « 67 Cover: 7
Tools: Recaps
Aug 5, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 82 Cover: 12
CONN 66 Under: 148
Tools: Recaps
Jun 25, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI 69 Under: 148
CONN « 79 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps
May 30, 2014 Score ATS Results
CONN 82 Over: 183
CHI « 101 Cover: 11
Tools: Recaps
May 21, 2014 Score ATS Results
CONN 68 Under: 146
CHI « 78 Cover: 5
Tools: Recaps
Date: August 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT
The Connecticut Sun team that beat the Chicago Sky back in June is far different than the one that will be trying to avoid its eighth straight defeat Sunday night.
Chicago has recorded two wins over the last-place Sun since then, and it will be seeking to match a season high with a fourth straight victory.
Connecticut (12-17) has played all season without last year's rookie of the year Chiney Ogwumike due to injury, but it started by winning seven of its first eight to take the early lead in the Eastern Conference.
The Sun, who beat Chicago (18-11) on June 11 in that stretch, lost 16 of 21 since their early run and are in the midst of their second losing streak of at least six games. Kelsey Bone scored 22 points Saturday in an 80-66 home loss to East-leading New York as Connecticut dropped its seventh straight.
"We just wanted to make it a game," Bone said. "We tried to do some things differently. We focused a little more on defense. We gave up 43 points in the first half, so we wanted to buckle down on defense."
Other injuries have hurt Connecticut, too. Alex Bentley, who scored 25 points in a 77-74 loss to the Sky on July 2, has sat out the last four with an ankle injury. Elizabeth Williams has missed seven straight with a knee issue and Alyssa Thomas has been out the last six because of a shoulder injury.
Williams said she's not expecting to play in any of the remaining five games, and coach Anne Donovan isn't sure if Bentley or Thomas will be able to suit up again either.
Chicago clinched a third straight playoff berth with Saturday's 98-96 win over Atlanta despite not having star Elena Delle Donne, who sat out with a foot injury. Cappie Pondexter, who scored a season-high 29 points in a 96-76 win over the Sun in the last meeting July 12, finished with 22 as the Sky won a third straight game.
Chicago sits in second place in the East, 2 1/2 games back of the Liberty and one-half game ahead of Indiana.
With a postseason spot secured, it's unclear if Chicago will risk playing Delle Donne, the league's leading scorer at 23.9 points per game, in this contest. Delle Donne scored 27 points in the first meeting with the Sun but was held to 12 in each of the next two, which were part of the Sky's season high four-game winning streak from July 2-15.
These teams close out the regular season in Connecticut on Sept. 13.
WNBA HEAD TO HEAD
Jul 12, 2015 Score ATS Results
CONN 76 Over: 172
CHI « 96 Cover: 12
Tools: Recaps
Jul 2, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI « 77 Under: 151
CONN 74 Cover: 1.5
Tools: Recaps
Jun 11, 2015 Score ATS Results
CHI 65 Under: 132
CONN « 67 Cover: 7
Tools: Recaps
Aug 5, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI « 82 Cover: 12
CONN 66 Under: 148
Tools: Recaps
Jun 25, 2014 Score ATS Results
CHI 69 Under: 148
CONN « 79 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps
May 30, 2014 Score ATS Results
CONN 82 Over: 183
CHI « 101 Cover: 11
Tools: Recaps
May 21, 2014 Score ATS Results
CONN 68 Under: 146
CHI « 78 Cover: 5
Tools: Recaps
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