Silver Stars-Sun Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Aug 10 2011 3:30PM

The Connecticut Sun weren't sharp at the offensive end their last time out, but they feel they're coming off a positive performance after putting together their best defensive game of the year.

Looking to follow up that dominant effort on defense, the Sun try to improve the WNBA's best home record in a matchup with the slumping San Antonio Silver Stars on Thursday night.

Connecticut (14-7) followed up an impressive three-game western road trip - its only loss came by two against Seattle on Friday - with a 69-58 victory over Chicago on Tuesday. The Sun limited the Sky to 27.5 percent from the field, allowing them to win despite making 36.2 percent of their shots.

"Can we call it a defensive clinic, not an offensive meltdown?" said coach Mike Thibault, whose team outscored Chicago 22-7 in the second quarter. "This was a game we had to grind out somehow. We didn't have our legs to shoot the ball. We had to win with defense."

Connecticut, which allowed its lowest point total of the season, is giving up 73.5 points per game at home and 80.2 on the road.

The win was the Sun's eighth in 10 games and improved them to 9-1 at home in the opener of a four-game stretch at Mohegan Sun Arena. They are one game behind first-place Indiana in the Eastern Conference.

Despite the poor performance at the offensive end, Connecticut continued to get steady production from center Tina Charles, who recorded her WNBA record-tying seventh straight double-double. Charles, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, can break the mark set by Storm star Lauren Jackson in 2003.

"I'm honored to be mentioned with her,'' said Charles, who has grabbed 13 or more boards three times during the streak.

She should have an even better chance to set the record with Silver Stars rookie forward Danielle Adams sidelined. The 6-foot-1 Adams, out four to six weeks with a mid-foot sprain, is averaging 14.3 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Her absence hasn't helped the Silver Stars (12-9), losers or four of five. San Antonio is coming off an 81-68 defeat at Indiana on Tuesday, getting outscored 20-5 in the second quarter.

"We didn't come out aggressive," said forward Sophia Young, who had 13 points but went 3 of 10 on free throws. "You can't expect to win when you don't come out hard. We have to get ready for Connecticut ... We have to get one of the (next) two on the road."

San Antonio is finishing up a stretch of four of five away from home. They've lost all three of the road contests and have fallen four games behind West-leading Minnesota.

The Silver Stars have been held to fewer than 70 points in their last four losses. They averaged 92.1 points during their 7-1 start but have scored 71.8 per game since.

San Antonio has lost in its last two visits to Connecticut, averaging 63.0 points.

Hammon scores 18 in Silver Stars' win over Sun

Posted Aug 11 2011 10:49PM

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) San Antonio has played some of the best teams in the WNBA on the road in recent games. Win a win at Connecticut, coach Dan Hughes believes his Silver Stars have proved they belong among the elite.

Becky Hammon scored 18 points and Sophia Young added 15 as San Antonio beat the Sun 72-59 Thursday night.

It was the Silver Stars' fourth road game in their last five. They lost at defending champion Seattle on Aug. 2, and then at Minnesota, which has the league's best mark, two days later. After beating league-worst Tulsa at home on Saturday, San Antonio lost at Eastern Conference-leading Indiana on Tuesday before beating the second-place Sun.

``We've been on the road so much and this last swing, we've played good teams,'' Hughes said. ``Our goal is to be a winning road team and we're 7-5. We've got a shot.''

Danielle Robinson and Jia Perkins added 12 points apiece for the Silver Stars (13-9), who led comfortably for most of the game. San Antonio, which shot 50 percent (30 for 60) from the field, had lost four of its previous five.

``We came off a hard loss at Indiana the other day. We were just battling,'' said Hammon, who shot 7 for 11. ``We have a lot of respect for Connecticut.''

Robinson's layup with 6 seconds left in the third gave the Silver Stars their biggest lead at 57-36.

Asjha Jones had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Tan White scored 11 points and Kara Lawson had 10 for Connecticut (14-8), which didn't get closer than 13 in the second half. The Sun shot 35 percent (22 for 63).

``You all saw why San Antonio is pretty good,'' Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. ``I wish we had made it interesting. San Antonio is unselfish. They move the basketball.''

After trailing in the early minutes, the Silver Stars used a 19-4 run to take a 21-10 lead with 2:48 to go in the opening quarter. Hammon, who had 15 points in the first half, capped the spurt with a 3-pointer and a three-point play.

``Getting out to a good start was so important for us,'' Hughes said. ``I thought it set a tone. Defensively, it was one of those games. Connecticut had a tough shooting night. They had some looks. We've had them too playing this much basketball.''

Perkins' layup in the opening minute of the second quarter extended the Silver Stars' lead to 27-12.

Hammon's 3 with 3 seconds remaining stretched the advantage to 40-23 lead.

Connecticut missed its last 10 shots of the first half. The Sun shot 23 percent (7-31), setting season low marks for field goals made and field goal percentage in a half.

``We just missed shots,'' Jones said. ``You can't really blame fatigue on that. It just happens sometimes. We started off offensively OK, but we weren't getting stops on defense. And when you're not getting things done on offense, you have to get stops on defense, and we just didn't do that tonight.''

Hammon hit another 3 - her final points of the game - to give San Antonio a 19-point lead with 8:17 remaining in the third quarter.

• Silver Stars: --
• Sun: --

• Silver Stars: --
• Sun: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
• Officials: #55 Eric Brewton, #44 Felicia Grinter, #21 Byron Jarrett
• Attendance: 5334
• Duration: 1:41