Sun-Liberty Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted May 18 2012 4:12PM

A lack of experience didn't keep the Connecticut Sun from finishing tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference last season. Now, they feel they are ready for the next level - something that will require improved play on the road.

The Sun visit the New York Liberty on Saturday in a meeting between teams that lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2011.

Connecticut finished tied with Indiana at 21-13 in the East but was swept in the opening round by Atlanta.

The Sun averaged 80.1 points last season - second-most in the conference. Tina Charles, the 2010 rookie of the year, led the way with 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, while Renee Montgomery and Asjha Jones averaged 14.6 and 13.3 points, respectively.

They also received a steady contribution from Kalana Greene, who broke into the starting lineup in her second season and averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds. Danielle McCray started 23 games as a rookie and averaged 5.9 points.

Connecticut played in the WNBA finals in 2005 and last reached the conference finals in '06, but it feels it has the chance to be among the contenders this year, provided it can improve on a 6-11 road record.

"This team showed last year they know how to win, that is not in question," coach Mike Thibault told the WNBA's official website. "But closing out games ... that was something we struggled with at times last year. It comes down to those crucial possessions in front of a hostile crowd, where your opponents are making that push and you need to execute."

New York is also hoping its experience will help it go further this season after finishing 19-15 in 2011 and losing in three games to Indiana in the conference semifinals.

Defense wasn't a problem for the Liberty, who gave up 74.8 points per game last season - second-fewest in the East - but they were eighth in the league in scoring with an average of 76.0 points.

Cappie Pondexter led the team with 17.4 points per game while Plenette Pierson contributed 12.9.

Looking to add an inside presence, New York drafted 6-foot-6 center Kelley Cain with the No. 7 overall pick this year, taking a chance on the oft-injured former Tennessee player.

Cain averaged 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 92 games for the Lady Vols, setting a single-season record with 113 blocks as a sophomore. However, she had two surgeries on her knee and one on her hip.

Cain gave up her final season of eligibility last year. She graduated in January and played in Turkey during the winter.

"I liked her hands and her ability to score around the (basket)," Liberty coach and general manager John Whisenant said. "We need that on our team. Our scoring inside gets you outside shots more wide open. That's one of the things I was looking for."

Connecticut won three of four against New York last season.

This game will be played at Madison Square Garden instead of the Prudential Center in New Jersey, where New York's games are scheduled for a second straight year due to renovations at MSG. It was switched because Game 3 of the NHL's Eastern Conference finals between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will be played in Newark.

Jones hits late jumper, Sun beat Liberty 78-73

By VIN A. CHERWOO
Posted May 19 2012 8:06PM

NEW YORK (AP) Every time New York went ahead and stretched its lead, Connecticut came back and tied it. Then the Sun went ahead in the final minute and spoiled the Liberty's one-game homecoming to Madison Square Garden.

Asjha Jones made a tiebreaking jumper with 31 seconds remaining and the Sun went on to a 78-73 victory over the Liberty in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

Tina Charles had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead Connecticut. Allison Hightower scored 13 points, Jones finished with 12 and Renee Montgomery added 11.

``We came out with a lot of aggression,'' Charles said. ``There were times we were down seven, but we were able to get it back. Coach (Mike Thibault) had different lineups out there and everybody just came together collectively and we handled ourselves well on the court.''

Connecticut trailed by five early in the second quarter, then by nine in the final minute of the period, by seven at the end of the third. The Sun rallied to tie the score each time.

Connecticut, 15-2 at home last season, struggled to a 6-11 record on the road while failing to hold late leads. Earlier in the week, Thibault said the next step in his team's development was to play better in the fourth quarter. They did that in the opener.

``Just us coming back, that was maturity,'' said Charles, the 2010 rookie of the year. ``Us playing together going on our third year, and that's just mental toughness - not letting the game go, not getting down on ourselves, not pouting, just being real mature, and knowing we could get back.''

Cappie Pondexter led New York with 19 points, Plenette Pierson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Kara Braxton scored 13.

The Liberty were outscored 27-15 in the fourth quarter, outrebounded 9-5 and outshot 56 percent (10 for 18) to 43 percent (8 for 14). They had no steals and the Sun turned the ball over just once in the period.

``We got to play better. We got to improve from where we are tonight,'' New York coach John Whisenant said. ``We got static (in the fourth quarter). ... We weren't efficient. Not efficient around executing our offense and we weren't getting turnovers from our defense.''

After Jones' go-ahead jumper with put the Sun ahead 73-71, Pondexter missed a layup with 19.9 seconds remaining. Danielle McCray made a free throw with 15.1 to go to push the lead to three. On the Liberty's ensuing possession, Leilani Mitchell was called for an offensive foul away from the ball with 7.6 seconds left.

Montgomery made two free throws a second later to seal the win.

The Liberty are in the midst of a three-year stretch playing their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., because of renovations the Garden. However, the game was moved to the Garden because the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils played an NHL playoff game at the Prudential Center earlier in the day. The Liberty will play the rest of their home games this season back in Newark.

``I was excited,'' Pondexter said. ``This is one of the best places to play basketball. I'm definitely going to miss it. Too bad we can't come here often. But we got to carry this show to the Prudential Center.''

Charles tied it at 65 with 4:32 to go, then made a go-ahead layup 36 seconds later to put Connecticut ahead with its first lead since late in the first quarter. After Pondexter and Braxton made layups 26 seconds apart to put New York back ahead, Charles' hook shot tied it again with 2:51 to go. She was fouled on the play but missed the ensuing free throw.

With the score tied at 71, Essence Carson missed two free throws with 1:44 to go. Braxton got the rebound on the second miss, but the Liberty failed to take advantage of the second chance.

The Sun scored the first eight points of the third quarter to tie the score at 41 on Hightower's 3-pointer with just more than 2 minutes gone in the period. New York went ahead by four several times, but Charles' layup tied it at 51 with 1:58 left. The Liberty then scored the final seven points of the period, capped by Pierson's 3 with less than a second remaining for a 58-51 lead.

Hightower had a jumper and a three-point play and Mims made a jumper as Connecticut scored the first seven points of the fourth to tie it again with 8:12 remaining.

Charles, Montgomery and Thibault were called for technical fouls in a chippy second quarter that saw Pierson also get a tech for New York.

``Yeah, there was a lot of stuff going on,'' Charles said. ``We pulled it out, that's all that matters.''

The Liberty went ahead with a 9-0 run to take a 39-30 lead with 1:16 to go in the first half. The teams traded baskets and Montgomery hit a free throw on Pierson's tech to pull the Sun to 41-33 at the break.

• Sun: --
• Liberty: --

• Sun: Charles, Montgomery, Thibault
• Liberty: Pierson

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 12

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #9 Denise Brooks, #49 Kevin Sparrock, #46 Tim Greene
• Attendance: 8112
• Duration: 2:01